


No Safe Paths

by bragimitchelldurin



Series: The Erebor Chronicles [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, BAMF Kíli, Big Brother Fíli, Bilbo Is Awesome, Gen, Haunted Fíli, Hurt Fíli, Hurt Kíli, No Slash, Post Battle of Five Armies, Protective Fíli, Some Humor, The One Ring - Freeform, Torture, Worried Kíli, no Durincest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-01 21:20:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 37,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1048690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bragimitchelldurin/pseuds/bragimitchelldurin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Not So Easily Broken. Fíli and Kíli are escorting Bilbo back on the long road to the Shire. They had hoped that perhaps their journey would be easy compared to what they had just endured but they are about to learn that there are no safe paths once you step over the edge of the Wild. AU. No Slash!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: The title comes from a quote from The Hobbit: "There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go." I very much recommend reading Not So Easily Broken before you read this. I have only written 5 chapters so far so my updates won't be nearly as quick as they were for Not So Easily Broken, however I have the whole story mapped out. I will probably update at least once a week so prepare for suspense...except this first chapter really doesn't have a cliffhanger, like most of my stories end up having. Thank you to my wonderful beta, Nathália!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit or any of the recognizable characters. I am simply borrowing them for entertainment purposes :)

They had been on the road for a few days now.

Erebor was just a picture on the horizon behind them as they began their long journey back to Bag End. Bilbo was quite happy to be returning home however he felt saddened, since he had left a great part of himself back at the newly established dwarf kingdom. He had seen so much. Once he returned he wasn't quite sure what he was going to do. Life would seem so boring compared to this journey he had taken part in.

Perhaps he would visit Erebor once more.

As he rode his pony up front, he chanced a glance behind him to spot his companions. His eyes first landed upon the younger of the two. Kíli was smiling as he hummed a song to himself. His dark mane was as unkempt as usual and his chocolate eyes were warm as he watched the Hobbit. It seemed that not much could ruin the prince's good mood. After all, after a lot of hardship, everything was back to normal. Well, sort of.

Behind Kíli was Fíli, whose face was much more focused and stern compared to that of his younger brother. His blue eyes scanned the trees around them, the reigns of his pony were gripped tightly in his hands as they slowly pressed forward.

Bilbo felt sorry for the lad. He had been through such trials, and it had been evident in the past few days that he was still haunted by what had happened to him at the hands of Ravina.

Although they all knew that Ravina was dead and her control over Fíli was completely gone, Bilbo could tell that the prince was still haunted by what had happened. It seemed that he was determined to make up for his actions.

In a short amount of time, he had insured that Bilbo and Kíli had gotten enough rest and provisions. When it came to scouting, Fíli was the one to scout the area to make sure it was safe enough and if there was ever any doubt they would continue on until he was sure they would be safe for the night. At nighttime, with what little sleep Fíli did manage, he would mutter and toss on his bedroll, his hands clenched around the hunting knife.

Kíli was doing his best to try and lighten the mood but there was only so much he was capable of.

* * *

The sun was already setting on their third day of traveling. Before it grew any darker, Fíli found an open grove that seemed ideal for camp for the night. After alerting Kíli and Bilbo of his intentions, he led them over to the spot. Soon as they arrived, they tethered the ponies to a tree.

Once the ponies were secured, Kíli pulled his bow.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Fíli asked, immediately spotting his brother's movement.

"Going to hunt unless you plan to go through our rations well before we reach the other side of Mirkwood."

"No, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the ponies and Bilbo."

"I'm sure our burglar doesn't need protection. He's proven himself more than capable of-"

Fíli did not listen to the rest of Kíli's statement, leaving quickly into the shadows of the forest.

Kíli watched in disbelief the disappearing figure of his brother as Bilbo approached. "Where is he going?"

"He's going to get dinner. I was going to do that but apparently he is under the impression I need to keep an eye on you and the ponies."

"I'm sure he is just trying to keep you safe."

"It's not me he should be worried about. He needs to forgive himself."

Bilbo placed a hand on Kíli's shoulder. "All wounds heal with time. It's only been a few days. I'm sure we'll be seeing the old Fíli in no time."

"I hope you're right, Bilbo."

After a few hours, Fíli returned with a few conies. He didn't say a word as he bypassed Kíli and began to skin them. Kíli wanted to go and ask his brother if everything was alright but one look from Bilbo told him to remember what he had said. Wounds healed with time.

But Kíli was impatient. He wanted his  _brother_ , not this shadow he had become.

They ate in silence and once they had finished their meal Fíli stood and said, "I'll take first watch. You get some rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Without another word, Fíli stood from his spot on the ground and went to take his post as lookout. Kíli and Bilbo sighed before they turned in for the night.

* * *

Kíli woke with confusion as to why he hadn't been roused for watch.

As he slowly sat up from his bedroll, he saw that Bilbo still lay fast asleep and Fíli was still sitting on the rock.

There was no telling how much time had gone by and Kíli could tell by the way Fíli was hunched over that he hadn't slept at all, probably sitting there for some time now. He gathered his sword and bow before heading over to his brother.

When he flopped down next to Fíli, he peered over and saw the dark circles under his eyes as they gazed into the darkness. It seemed, however, that he had noticed the arrival. "What are you doing up?"

"Came to relieve you. Have you gotten any sleep?"

"Not tired. Woke Bilbo for a little bit but I couldn't fall asleep."

"Nightmares?"

"…You should really go back to sleep, Kíli."

"I've slept for long enough, tonight. I'll take over. Like you said, we have a long day ahead of us and you need your sleep as much as we do."

"It's alright…"

"Stop being stubborn like Uncle and go to sleep before I knock you over the head."

With a defeated sigh, Fíli slowly stood from his spot on the rock. "If you get tired…"

"I'll wake Bilbo. Go. To. Sleep."

Fíli gave him half a smirk before retiring to his bedroll.

Kíli watched his sluggish movements, concern written across his face. He knew his brother was stubborn but if he didn't start taking care of himself soon, this journey would prove to be a lot harder than the last.

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yep, a set up story. As you can see, Fíli still is a bit guilt ridden. But for all you Kíli fans asking for some Kíli-angst...there is plenty of that to come, I can guarantee that. Although I have the whole story mapped out, what would you guys like to see? Maybe I will add it in? You know me well enough by now to know I always listen to my readers. So please, read and review and tell me what you think and what you want to see!


	2. Chapter 2

Fíli had a rough night - that was for sure. He tossed and turned, muttering phrases.

At one point Kíli had to wake him because he was beginning to shout. How Bilbo managed to sleep through it all was beyond him.

 In the morning they wasted no time to pack up camp and set out on their journey.

They delved deeper into Mirkwood, attempting to stay as far away from the Elves and, hopefully, the spiders. Their goal was to head south to the Old Forest Road and to follow that west towards the Shire. Of course, Mirkwood was not always so cooperative.

The sun was at its highest point in the sky. Rays breached through the canopy of trees, spotting the ground with patches of light. Kíli was in the lead, his eyes on the lookout for strange or peculiar movements. He had absolutely no intentions on visiting the Elves in Mirkwood any time soon.

Up ahead, Kíli caught movement in the shadows. At first he thought it was his eyes playing tricks on him but when he spotted it again he knew it wasn't a trick of the light. Slowly he fell back so he was side by side with his brother.

"Fíli, we may have a problem."

"What is it?"

"The trees... they’re moving."

"Moving?" Fíli questioned, looking towards the direction they were heading to find that the path they had been following was, indeed, blocked by trees that hadn't been there before.

"It appears they don't want us to go South," Kíli replied.

"Well we can't go any further West, otherwise we enter Elf territory and if we head North, we run the risk of meeting the spiders again."

"So, what do we do?"

Fíli pondered for a moment. They could try to continue South and hopefully find a way around the trees but either way they would have to head either West or North. It was the lesser of two evils. Elves or Spiders.

He glanced to his brother and Bilbo. "We head West. I'd rather have a run in with the Elves than those spiders."

Fíli assumed the lead, designating their new path to the West. As much as he hated the Elves, he knew they stood a better chance with them than with the spiders. Hopefully they would manage to avoid any attention of the Elves and find a detour that didn't involve the dungeons. Fíli immediately recalled being led to the Elven King, how his stomach turned when he ordered them to be separated. He had fought so hard to stay by his brother's side but it was no use. After all, he was bound and the hilts on those Elven swords were not soft.

He kept his wits about him, watching the trees. He caught their movement and couldn't help but notice as they tried to drive the travelers towards the North. As much as Fíli tried to deter them from that route, it was difficult when the trees were closing in on them. Amongst the trees he thought he saw a shadow of man watching but as quickly as he appeared, it drifted away in the wind.

* * *

 The forest grew darker and colder, staying true to the name of Mirkwood. Fíli wondered what this forest would have looked like before the dark days. Soon the light was all but gone. It was becoming too dark to travel safely so they found camp.

As per usual, Fíli began to scout the area. The trees were closer as they delved further into the forest. The wind nipped at his neck as he checked the area. He hadn't gotten far when he heard a hissing voice on the wind.

_"Come to me."_

Fíli quickly glanced around the area. "Who’s there?"

_"Bring it to me."_

His right hand subconsciously grasped the hilt of his hunting knife. "Show yourself!"

A twig snapped behind him. Quickly he spun, his knife at the ready.

"Don't strike!" poor Bilbo squeaked.

When Fíli's blue eyes recognized the Hobbit, he asked in confusion, "Bilbo? What are you doing out here?"

"Gathering some wood for the fire. Are you alright?"

"Did you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"That voice."

Bilbo shook his head, his face set with concentration. "No, can't say I did. Are you feeling well?"

Replacing his knife, Fíli replied, "Yes... I think."

"Perhaps you should get some rest. You look ready to fall asleep where you stand. I'm sure Kíli and I can manage without you tonight for watch."

With a smile, the prince clapped a hand on the Hobbit's shoulder. "I'm sure you could but it is quite alright. I've gone longer with less sleep."

As he began his retreat to the camp Bilbo did a once over of the trees around them, looking for anything out of the ordinary before following the dwarf back to camp. As he left, the shadow watched the Hobbit, a line of black curling into a snarl.

 _"Come to me, precious._ "

TBC...

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kíli was roused in the middle of the night by Fíli who placed a finger over his mouth to tell Kíli to keep quiet. Before Kíli could use _Iglishmêk_ to ask what it was, he heard movement nearby.

Instinctively he reached for his bow and quiver before standing up to follow his brother. He could see Fíli had his scabbard on with one sword already drawn.

They crept towards the sounds, being as silent as they could. As they got closer they could make out voices speaking in a foreign tongue. Unfortunately they recognized it - the dark speech. When they peered through the brush, their fears were confirmed.

The pack of Orcs huddled around the fire, arguing in their language. Whatever it was it probably had something to do with the food roasting on a spit. The brothers gave each other a glance.

"Get back to camp, wake Bilbo. We're leaving now," Fíli whispered to Kíi.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make sure they don't spot us. Now go."

Kíli put a hand on his brother's shoulder before disappearing. As soon as he was gone, Fíli turned his eyes back to the Orcs. As long as the filth stayed in their camp they would be able to get away without being noticed.

Quite frankly, Fíli was very ready to avoid a conflict for once.

A few moments went by and it seemed they could get away clean. That was, of course, until the squabble turned into an all-out fight. The Orcs were beating each other, pulling out their weapons and thinning themselves out as the fight continued.

Fíli was about to run back to Kíli and Bilbo so they could head out when an Orc fell in front of his hiding space before being stabbed by another. The Orc who had done the stabbing saw the dwarf in the bushes and snarled. Fíli adjusted the grip on his sword and swung, slicing the Orc's thigh.

The bellow of the wounded Orc caught the attention of the others and before Fíli could make a run, the Orcs were upon him. Fíli withdrew his second sword and readied himself for the battle.

One by one Orcs fell to his blades. He probably should have paid better attention to how many Orcs were in the camp. Four or five he could handle, but there seemed to be a dozen or so around him. After cutting down another, an Orc caught him from behind, pulling on his golden mane to expose his neck where it promptly placed his blade.

"Look what we got here, boys!" it growled.

Fíli struggled but the hold on him was too strong. He could feel the blade pressing harder to his throat. That was until the Orc holding him howled, releasing him rather quickly. When Fíli spun he saw the Orc was now missing his legs from the calf down with no visible cause as to why. But Fíli knew. Bilbo.

When Fíli went back to the fray, he watched as Kíli emerged, bow drawn and arrows flying. Together the brothers cut down the Orcs with the help of the invisible Hobbit. The brothers fought back to back, complimenting each other seamlessly. No Orc stood a chance against them.

Soon the battle was won. With the Orcs slain, Bilbo removed the ring as Kíli gathered his arrows from the dead Orcs.

"You handle yourself well in battle now, Bilbo," Fíli said as he approached the Hobbit.

"You remember when he first took on Azog on that cliff? Swinging that letter opener around like a club," Kíli added with a laugh as he wiped the blood from the arrowheads off onto his tunic.

"Yes, well, you dwarves have been a bad influence on me."

"Did you hear that, Fíli? Apparently we've been a bad influence."

"Yes I did, however, I'm glad for it. Thank you, Bilbo. You've saved my life...again."

"You are quite welcome. Let's just not make a habit out of it."

"I shall try not to."

"What do you think they were doing out here?" Kíli asked.

"I don't know but I don't want to stick around to find out. Where there's one pack there's bound to be another. We should leave now before more come," Fíli said. 

The other two agreed before the trio ran off, oblivious to one of Fíli's hair beads left in the grasp of a dead Orc.

* * *

Since the run in with the Orcs, they moved extra quickly and by the end of the week, they were nearing the edge of Mirkwood.

"Perhaps Beorn will give us shelter for the night," Bilbo said hopefully.

"Maybe, but I doubt it," Fíli replied.

"Why?" asked Kíli. 

"We didn't quite follow the same path we took before. For all we know we're too far North or South of his home."

Bilbo and Kíli looked very dejected by the news and although he didn't show it, so did Fíli. He was very much looking forward to staying for a night or two in the house of Beorn. Sure, their first impression wasn't all that welcoming. The memory of the company trying to close the door on the charging bear still played vividly in his mind's eye. However Gandalf had won him over and the stay turned out to be pleasant enough. Beorn had even offered his home should they come by again. It had been part of Fíli's plan but thanks to the darkening Mirkwood, it had thrown off those plans indeed.

A sudden crunch caught all of their attentions. Kíli withdrew his bow and notched an arrow, aiming in the general area the sound came from.

"What was that?" squeaked Bilbo.

Deep down Fíli hoped it was an Orc. He had no intentions of having a run in with the Elves or Spiders, not when they were so close to leaving Mirkwood.

The sound of a twig snapping caused Kíli to add more tension on his bow. His arms and aim remained steady and focus. Fíli's right hand reached for his sword. Even little Bilbo gripped Sting's hilt.

"Put those weapons away, lads. You won't be needing them here."

Kíli relaxed as they all breathed a sigh of relief. They knew that voice.

Beorn emerged, looking tall and wild as ever. "I was wondering where you three had gone. I've been waiting on the border of the forest for a few days waiting on you."

"You... knew we were coming?" Bilbo asked.

"Yes and now that I've found you, we need to go to my house and quickly."

"How did you know?" asked Kíli.

"I'll explain, but not here. Not now. We know not who may be watching. Come, quickly now!"

The three adventurers looked to one another, exchanging confused glances before following the skin changer.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

After they had arrived at Beorn's home, Beorn had to leave, claiming that there was some business he needed to attend to immediately. So Bilbo, Fíli and Kíli were left alone in his big home, taking comfort in the food that was available.

After stuffing himself until he thought his stomach was about to explode, Bilbo was on his way to the window, his pipe in his hand when he noticed Kíli was already smoking away, gazing off into the distance.

Bilbo approached the young dwarf and asked ever so politely, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Kíli, who was caught off guard by the Hobbit, jumped slightly before smiling and motioning for Bilbo to join him. Once his pipe was lit he inhaled deeply and blew a smoke ring he was ever so proud of. "You are quite good at that, Bilbo. You may have to teach me that trick."

Bilbo laughed silently to himself as he took another inhale of the pipeweed. Once the smoke exited his lungs, Bilbo asked, "Where is Fíli?"

Using his pipe, Kíli pointed to the other side of the room. When Bilbo followed the direction of Kíli's pipe, he was shocked to see the golden haired prince fast asleep on the large padded bench. "He's asleep?"

"I know, I was shocked as well, but frankly I'm glad for it."

"How long has he been out?"

Kíli shrugged. "An hour or two, at the most."

"And he hasn't had any nightmares?"

Kíli shook his head. "I think he knows we're safe here so he doesn't have to worry about us. It's about time he got some rest. He looks ready to pass out at any given moment. His stubbornness is going to be the death of him."

"Sounds like Thorin."

Kíli laughed. "That it does."

A silence befell them as they continued to smoke away. After a few more inhales Bilbo asked, "You know what I find quite curious?"

"You find many things curious."

"True, but how did Beorn knew we were coming? Not many people were aware of our departure, let alone which way we were headed and who was traveling in this small company."

"Your guess is as good as mine, Mr. Boggins. I'm sure Beorn will explain it to us all in good time. Of course if he doesn't show up soon I may have to go the same way as my brother. The idea of a comfortable bed sounds very appealing."

As Kíli was about to put out the remnants of the weed in his pipe the door burst open, allowing a gust into the house. Fíli woke with a start, pulling his knife from his bracer as he jumped to his feet. However he visibly relaxed when his eyes recognized Beorn. "Sorry about that, lads. I had to check on a few things. I hope you've made yourselves comfortable."

Beorn had his answer when he saw Fíli stiffly get up from his sleeping spot, replacing his knife.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay in your home once again, Beorn," Fíli thanked as properly as any prince.

"You are quite welcome Fíli, Prince of Erebor, Heir to the Throne of Erebor and Keeper of the Arkenstone. My doors are always open to you and the rest of your company. Now come, I am tired and hungry and have urgent business to discuss with you."

They followed him to the table and sat, watching as the beastly man ate and drank. After downing his tankard of ale he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand he turned to Fíli and asked, "Are the rumors true? Are you the one who slayed Azog?"

Kíli immediately watched his brother with a worried look. Fíli was still very uncomfortable about speaking about the events that transpired on the battlefield and often worried that he might snap at the mere mention of the pale Orc. He was glad, however, to see no visible response except for a nod. "Aye, it's true."

Beorn grumbled something before rubbing his hairy face. "Just as I feared."

"What did you fear?" asked Bilbo.

"It seemed around the same time you left the Mountain that Orcs began growing in numbers through Mirkwood, mainly along the Old Forest Road."

"That's why the trees were blocking our way south," Kíli vocalized.

"Indeed. At first I thought they were licking their wounds but my contacts in the forest told me they were being gathered by one Orc: Bolg, son of Azog."

Fíli's heart fell in his chest. "Bolg?"

"Aye. It seems he's gathering his forces and is out for the blood of the one who killed his father."

Kíli's brown eyes darted between his brother and the skin-changer. "Wait, you're saying Bolg is hunting Fíli?"

Beorn nodded solemnly. "You will have to be careful on the rest of your journey, my friends. No doubt they will find you have left the forest soon and will be on their way West to try and find you. The roads are no longer safe."

"How did they know we left Erebor?" Kíli asked. It seemed that the news of Bolg had frozen Fíli. His throat was dry and his mouth was unable to form any words.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Azog had spies all over Middle Earth, so I assume Bolg does as well. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you like but I would suggest you move soon. If you can get a headstart into the mountains, you may have a better chance of losing them quickly."

Fíli finally managed to compose himself. After clearing his throat he nodded at their host and said, "We thank you for your hospitality. We will have to discuss this in the morning. None of us are fit to travel through the night."

"I would think you a fool if you did. You look ready to collapse where you are." Slowly he stood from his large seat. "If you will excuse me, I have some more business to attend to in the forest. I must see if I can get any more information on the location of the Orcs."

They all bowed their heads to him as he departed his home.

The news of Bolg had stirred their fears. In silence they glanced to one another, reading the same thoughts on their faces. Just how long could they hide from Bolg?

* * *

The Orcs walked amongst their dead, searching for anything. The dead had been slain at the hands of others that were not Orcs - that much they could tell. As one went to pick up a discarded weapon the deformed creature noticed something silver that glistened at the hand of the still Orc. His yellow eyes focused on it some more as it took the piece of jewelry, rolling it in his slimy fingers. When he recognized the runes on it, he sneered a black grin. _"Dwarf scum,_ " the Orc hissed in the Black Tongue.

 _"What of them?"_ came the deep, dark voice from behind. When the Orc spun around his eyes widened in fear before he fell in a low bow.

Before him towered Bolg, his skin a pale white and scarred from battle. Without muttering a word, the Orc held out the bead. Bolg took it in his hand and smiled when he recognized the engraving. _"So it seems. Scour the area! Find them! Kill the spares. The golden haired one is mine!"_

The Orcs quickly ran around the area, mounting their Wargs before disappearing in the darkness.

Bolg sneered as he took the bead and handed it to one of the smaller Orcs. _"Send this to King Thorin with a message. As I lost a father, he will lose his son. Finally the Line of Durin will fall._ "

TBC….


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Fíli tossed and turned that night in his bed, his eyes clenched shut. The dreams were black and fearful.

_Fíli was alone in a dark room, stripped of his weapons. He felt naked without his hidden knives. A wind rushed past his back, causing him to turn around and reach for the knife that wasn't there._

_"Who's there?" Fíli called out in the darkness._

_"Bring it to me," a strange voice hissed._

_Fíli's blue eyes tried desperately to make out any forms in the dark but nothing could be seen. "Show yourself!"_

_Something placed its hand on his shoulder. When he turned, all he saw was nothing. "Bring it to me."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"You know of what I speak."_

_"Speak plainly!"_

_Two red dots could be seen in front of him. Fíli felt his feet rushing him forward, the red spots seeming to get further and further away. Suddenly the world fell out from under him and he was falling, landing in on a rocky landscape. When he looked around he found himself back on the battlefield of the Battle of Five Armies. The battle raged around him, everyone seemingly ignorant of the dwarf that just fell from the sky. On the hill in front of him Fíli saw a tall, shadowy figure staring at him. It was not solid, that much he could tell. A voice whispered something in a tongue Fíli was unfamiliar with, slowly growing louder in his ears. It reached out his hand and whispered, "Bring it to me. Together we can save him."_

_The world once again went dark. In a matter of seconds Fíli found himself in a cave. Before him was an Orc with a pale white skin. If Fíli knew any better he would have thought it was Azog but where a claw should have been was a hand._

_"Bolg," he muttered to himself._

_The Orc didn't seem to hear him as he circled something on the ground._

_Not just something, someone. Someone who was bound and lying on the floor. Blood seeped through his clothes from the wounds on his skin and his mouth was gritted. The black hair covered most of his face but it didn't take a fool to recognize the form._

_"KÍLI!"_  

_However it seemed his brother could not hear him. "Together, we will be strong. Your brother will not have to suffer. Just bring me what the Halfling carries. It possess great powers, dear Fíli. You can be unstoppable."_

_Kíli's form dissolved before his eyes. "Bring it to me or suffer the consequences."_

_Fíli could see the shadowy figure in the trees in front of him. Before he could react the shadow rushed him, howling a scream that pierced his ears._

When Fíli bolted upright in his bed his knife was in his hand. Beorn's house was still, Kíli and Bilbo still lay fast asleep in their beds. His chest rose and fell violently as he tried to catch his breath. He could feel his head spinning from the dream.

* * *

After glancing at Bilbo with contemplation he laid his head back down on his pillow, falling asleep as he pondered the words from the shadow in his dream.

When the morning finally broke the soft rays shone through the slits of the curtains, landing gently on Kíli’s face. The new warmth pulled him from his rest, his brown eyes fluttering as they opened.

The first thing he saw was Bilbo still fast asleep. At the table was Fíli, his pipe lit as he poured over a map.

So as not to disturb the sleeping Hobbit, Kíli treaded as softly as a dwarf could over to his brother. His body was still stiff from waking up so when he slid onto the bench across from his brother he landed with a soft thud.

“Sleep well, brother?” Kíli asked with a grin.

When Fíli’s eyes looked to him, however, Kíli saw a haunted look. All Fíli saw when he first looked to him was the Kíli he saw in his dreams; bound and wounded. But with a blink he saw normal, happy Kíli.

He put on a genuine grin and replied, “Better than most I’ve had recently.”

“Are you sure? You look worried.”

“No, I’m fine. It’s just now with the news Beorn gave us about the roads being watched I’m just trying to plan our new route West.”

“What’s the problem?”

“It’s the mountains. We can’t take the path through the mountains and I don’t want a second attempt at the High Pass and the goblin caves. Unfortunately I don’t know any other way through.”

“What about Dimrill Dale?” Kíli asked, pointing it out on the map.

Fíli gave him a horrified gaze. “Moria?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you daft?”

“No, why?”

“Did you not pay attention to Balin’s story he told Bilbo about the Battle of Azanulbizar?”

“Of course I did.”

“Then you know why we can’t go through there.”

“Well we wouldn’t go through the mines, obviously. I’m sure Thorin mentioned a path over it in the stories he use to tell us.”

“No, it’s too risky, Kíli.”

“What other choice do we have, Fíli? You said it yourself, we can’t take the High Pass or the Old Forest Road and you don’t know any other paths. By the time we figure it out Bolg will probably have caught up to us. It’s the lesser of two evils.”

“Perhaps Beorn knows of another way,” Fíli pondered aloud.

By this time Bilbo had woken from his slumber and had joined the dwarves at the table, sitting beside Kíli. “Good morning,” he greeted cheerfully.

“Ah, Bilbo, perhaps you would like to voice your opinion on this matter,” Kíli greeted, turning the map so Bilbo could get a better view, “What route do you think we should take through the mountains?”

Bilbo was at a loss for words. “Well, erm… I’m not so sure I would be of any help. I don’t know these mountains and…”

Bilbo’s stuttering ramble was cut short as Beorn came rushing in. “You need to leave, now.”

“What…?” began Fíli.

“Orcs, not too far from here. They’ll be here soon so you should leave while you still can.”

They didn’t need to hear any more. In an instant they were on their feet, rushing around to gather their belongings. It didn’t take long for them to gather their things and saddle up.

Before they left, Beorn came to Fíli with an extra satchel. “Some provisions to get you through the mountains.”

“Thank you, Beorn.”

They spurred their ponies and sped off, leaving the home a small speck in the distance.

At first they thought they got a clean getaway until a Warg jumped from the trees, almost knocking Kíli off his pony. With deadly speed Kíli withdrew his bow and fired an arrow into the beast.

“Run!” Fíli cried.

More and more Orcs and Wargs appeared, taking up the chase. When Kíli ventured a glance behind them he spotted at least a dozen of the creatures.

“We need to lose them!” he called to his brother.

What Kíli didn’t know was his brother was already looking for a way out. The plains were open and there weren’t many places to hide unless they wanted to head back into the forest. Part of him wanted to stand and fight but he knew that was a foolish idea.

An idea came to him almost instantly. “Kíli!” he called to his brother.

When he heard his name he looked to Fíli. “Take Bilbo and keep heading South. Once you find a way into the mountains, take it.”

“Where are you going?”

Fíli withdrew one of his swords. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Fíli came to a halt, turning his pony around so he was facing the threat. As Kíli and Bilbo continued on, he whispered to himself, “I hope.”

The pack kept getting larger as they drew near. He strengthened his grip as he stayed still. He had to time it properly.

His heart almost froze when he saw who was leading the pack.

Bolg.

The very sight of him had the exact same effect as his father had on Thorin. Instead of showing the fear he felt, Fíli kept his face stoic. When he saw the chance, Fíli moved.

His pony galloped as fast as he could towards the forest, the Wargs and Orcs hot on their heels. They had taken the bait. As they entered the woodline, Fíli began making quick, sharp movements, weaving through the trees. If there was one thing Fíli had learnt on their quest was Wargs could not maneuver quickly. Fíli was going to use that to his advantage.

Fíli weaved in and out of the trees with ease. Every once in a while he would glance behind him and see his pursuers struggle to keep up. He had to laugh a bit in both relief and humor when a couple Wargs stumbled into each other while trying to avoid a patch of trees.

One by one the Wargs and Orcs disappeared, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet. He needed to lose them for good. 

Fíli was so focused on losing the chase that he failed to see the low hanging branch until it hit him, knocking him off his pony. He hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. He could hear the hooves of his pony as he continued to run without his rider. Just when he thought it couldn’t have gone any more wrong, the stampede of Wargs grew louder behind him.

* * *

Dwalin inwardly cursed Kíli as he did his rounds along the outer wall of Erebor. Since the lads had run off to escort Bilbo home, Dwalin was given the task of filling in as Captain of the Royal Guard until they got back. He didn’t want to be doing this. He wanted to train new warriors and be by the King’s side so no one could get near him to do him harm. Instead, he was stuck doing Kíli’s job. When they got back he was going to have a “word” with him.

He didn’t see the arrow until it hit the dwarf standing beside him. Grasper and Keeper were drawn instantly as the guards scanned the area for the source of the arrow. There were no visible signs of an attack on the fields surrounding the mountain but Dwalin recognized the arrow.

“Orcs,” he growled.

As the dwarves hurried about to find the source, Dwalin noticed a silver glint hanging from a leather loop. With delicate hands he yanked the loop from the arrow. When he recognized the design he found himself running towards the council chambers.

Dwalin didn’t care that Thorin was in an important meeting as he pushed through the double doors. All eyes were on him with looks of both confustion as to what was going on and fear of the sight of the intimidating dwarf. “Thorin, it’s the lads.”

He did not need to say more. Thorin and Balin were on their feet, Balin apologizing profusely as they left.

Once in the hall, Dwalin held out his hand to show the bead.

“That’s Fíl’s,” Thorin stated.

“It was attached to an Orc arrow that was just fired at us.”

“Orcs?” Balin questioned.

“Aye, but there’s none outside - at least none that I can see. This is a message.”

“What message?”

“The boys are being hunted,” Thorin growled as he began to walk away.

“Where are you going?” Balin asked.

“I’m going after them.”

“You can’t just leave.”

“And I can’t just stand idly by and do nothing knowing they are in danger. They are my kin.”

“You have an entire kingdom to worry about, lad,” Balin explained.

Bofur, having come by to visit his brother in the kitchens, had overheard the conversation and had followed the sound of the voices.

“I need to find them, Balin. I need to see them safely back.”

“I’ll go.” All eyes were now on Bofur, shocked by his sudden appearance. “I’ll go find them.”

Bofur really had no clue as to what was going on but he knew the lads and Bilbo were in trouble and he had developed a bit of a soft spot for them.

“Are you sure?” asked Dwalin.

“Oh aye. I’ll go help them get out of whatever mess those two have landed themselves in.”

Balin and Dwalin looked to Thorin, asking for his thoughts. “Thank you, Bofur. I don’t know how I can repay your loyalty.”

Bofur smiled. “Anything for the lads. I’ll see if anyone else from the company will join me. But there is one thing you can do to repay me.”

“Anything.”

“Could you tell me exactly what’s going on?”

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

When Fíli had separated himself from them, most of the Orcs and Wargs had gone after him, making it easy for Kíli to pick off the stragglers with his bow. In a matter of moments they had lost their tail and had taken refuge in a small, narrow path that wound through the mountains. Bilbo had dismounted his pony and lounged against a large boulder, already missing the soft bed he had fell asleep in on the night before.

Meanwhile, Kíli stood at the entrance, watching the plains looking for his brother.

"He's been gone for too long," Kíli muttered to himself.

"It hasn't been that long."

Kíli kept pacing, his chocolate eyes never leaving the plains. The sound of hoof beats reached his ears first before he saw the black spot rushing towards them. Kíli sighed in relief.

Bilbo, having heard the pony, got to his feet and said, "See, I told you he's fine."

However when the pony got closer, both Kíli and Biblo's smiles fell for no rider sat on the saddle. They rushed out, Kíli grabbing the reigns and calming down the startled animal. "Where is Fíli?"

Kíli glanced back at the plains, hoping to see some movement to indicate that Fíli maybe had just lost his horse as a distraction. But there was no movement. Something wasn't right. He knew it, in his heart.

"I'm going back for him."

"What, no! You can't."

"Yeah? Watch me."

Before Bilbo could protest anymore, Kíli got onto his pony and rode back the way they came. He had seen the pony leaving Mirkwood and Kíli knew that Fíli would not have ventured far into that horrible place. Two trips through was bad enough and they were going to have to make a third after they saw Bilbo home. Perhaps Kíli could convince Fíli to go the long way around Mirkwood to get home on the way back. It wasn't like they were in any rush.

Kíli slowed his pony down to a trot as he entered the trees. Who knew if the Orcs and Wargs were still around… He kept his eyes focused for any signs of his brother, putting his tracking skills to the test. After all, Fíli was always the better tracker, having the patience to look around one area for signs - something Kíli lacked.

There was a faint whisper on the wind, so quiet he couldn't quite make it out. Kíli pulled out his bow and notched an arrow, preparing himself for whatever may be lurking in the trees. His eyes landed on a broken branch of that fauna. After dismounting he knelt next to the clue, examining it closer. Small drops of crimson sat upon the leaves.

Orcs did not bleed red.

"Fíli," he muttered, looking around.

Before he could take his hand away from the branch, something grabbed a hold of his arm. His left hand instantly pulled out his knife and held it threatenly at whatever had grabbed him until a familiar, yet pained voice- "Wait!"

When Kíli saw what had grabbed him, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was Fíli, laying on his back with one arm cradled to his chest. His skin glistened with sweat and his chest rose and fell dramatically as he steadied his breathing. Kíli had to laugh as he pulled his brother into an embrace.

"Ow, easy, brother!" Fíli grunted.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Kíli asked, pulling his brother away to get a good look at him.

"Just a scratch. It's nothing," Fíli replied, trying keep his left arm concealed.

Kíli was having none of it and pulled his arm away, his face paling when he saw the deep gash that ran up his forearm. "That is no scratch. What happened?"

"Wasn't paying attention to what was ahead of me. Bloody branch knocked me off my pony. I went to hide in the bushes but, well, one of the Orc scouts found me. Trust me, I look much better than him. Managed to get rid of him before he called attention to where I was hiding."

"We need to get this cleaned up."

"No, not yet. We need to get away from Mirkwood and into the mountains. There we can find shelter and _then_ worry about this."

Kíli couldn't take his gaze away from the large wound. "It's not going to kill me. Sadly, I've had worse. We should probably return to our hobbit. I'm sure he's probably nearing panic mode, seeing that we've been gone for some time now."

Kíli smiled as he helped his brother to his feet.

They both mounted the pony, Kíli in front with Fíli behind him, before setting off back to the mountain pass.

Bilbo was relieved when they arrived, having already mounted his pony and readying himself for his own rescue mission.

By the time they arrived back at the entrance to the pass, the sun was beginning to set and storm clouds began to brew in the mountains.

They made camp for the night in the quarry. Bilbo had been designated first watch and had already sat himself on the large boulder, watching the plains with his back turned to the brothers.

Kíli was busy cleaning and dressing Fíli's wound, with great difficulty, seeing as how Fíli was having problems sitting still. "This would be a lot easier if you would stop moving."

"I'm sorry that I flinch every time you brush over it! It's not exactly painless."

"And here you were telling me it was nothing."

"Well, I had to say something. You looked like you were about to turn into Mother."

"I was not!"

"Was too."

The brothers smiled as Kíli finally finished wrapping his arm. "There, all better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go relieve myself."

Kíli left his brother sitting by the fire as he ventured towards the mountain pass. There was a nice group of boulders he had found that would work perfectly to conceal himself as he relieved his bladder.

He had just started when he heard a pebble skip across the rocks. His head spun. "Fíli, is that you?"

When no one answered, he shrugged it off and finished his business. He was just about to leave when large arms wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his sides as a large hand clamped over his mouth. His shouts were muffled as he was picked up and lifted away.

Fíli began to notice Kíli's prolonged absence from using the bathroom and had decided to take it upon himself to see what his brother was up to. Probably a practical joke, no doubt.

"You alright, Kíli?"

His brother, however, did not answer. "You better not be trying to scare poor Bilbo. I don't think his little…"

He was cut off, however, when hands clamped over his mouth. Instinctively he pulled out his hunting knife and swung, drawing red blood. Before he could do more damage, however, something hard hit him from behind and he knew no more.

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

He wasn't quite sure why, but something didn't sit quite right with Bilbo.

He had been sitting on that boulder for some time now and he could feel his stomach start to growl. Surely the lads had already started supper and would have brought him some. Or perhaps the brothers were planning on playing a practical joke on the Hobbit. It wouldn't be the first time they did that. So he sat there and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

An hour passed and Bilbo couldn't take it anymore. If he didn't get fed soon he was going to bite off the next person who looked at him funny.

Rather gracefully he slid from the boulder and marched over to the camp, shoulders tense and his face angry. "You two better have saved me some food or so help me! I do not care if you are the royal princes of Erebor, I will…"

Bilbo had to stop his rant when he finally reached the camp.

Or what should have been the camp.

The fire hadn't even been lit. Fíli and Kíli's weapons lay by their packs untouched with no sign of the dwarves anywhere. Something sank in the bottom of Bilbo's stomach, and it fell further the moment he recognized Fíli's hunting knife that glistened red with blood on the ground. "That's... not... good."

As he knelt down to pick it up, he heard a group of laughter coming from further into the pass in the mountains. It wasn't Orc laughter or Goblin laughter - it sounded like Men. Bilbo quickly slipped the ring on and followed the sound.

It led him to a small camp surrounded by a quarry of boulders. Five full grown men dressed in dirty stained clothing sat around the fire, laughing as they cooked a deer on a spit. Away from the fire and tethered to ground by thick ropes and stakes were the two dwarf brothers. Kíli was binded to a tree, his brown eyes watching with concern at Fíli who lay on the other side of camp, his hands restricted by a rope and tethered to the ground.

Bilbo sighed to himself. He needed to get the princes away.

Getting to Kíli would be easy. Getting to Fíli, however, was going to be difficult. Fíli was far from any concealment so sneaking him off would be quite a task.

It would be so easy if Fíli had a ring like his.

As an idea formed in his mind Bilbo thought that, if it were to work, he was going to have to be very sneaky indeed.

The laughter of the men muted his footsteps as he tiptoed up to Fíli. He waited until he was behind them before he whispered, "Fíli."

Fíli looked around, recognizing the voice. "Bilbo?"

"I'm behind you; I have my ring on. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a knock to the head. I've had worse."

"Who are they?"

"Bandits. They hide in the mountains and attack travelers. They were going to tie us up and leave us for dead after they ransacked our camp."

How matter-of-factly Fíli had said it, without so much as a hint of worry in his voice, was a little disturbing to Bilbo - but he immediately remembered who he was talking to. Fíli, as well as all of the other dwarves, had faced far scarier, life-threatening predicaments on their journey to Erebor, not to mention the Battle of Five Armies and Ravina.

"Do you have a plan, Bilbo?" Fíli asked.

"One, but it's tricky."

Softly, Bilbo moved so he was in front of Fíli, untethering his binds from the ground. Once he was free from the ground Bilbo moved so he was concealed behind Fíli and slipped the ring from his finger, placing it in the blonde’s hands.

"Soon as I get into the bushes, put this on. When you do, get over to Kíli and get him away. "

"What are you going to do?"

Bilbo twiddled his thumbs as he tip-toed away. He wasn't quite sure himself what he was going to do, but that had never stopped him before.

The moment he was in the bushes he turned around in time to see Fíli slip the ring on his finger and disappeared.

Kíli's eyes went wide when he saw his brother vanishing out of thin air. The bandits recognized that and looked to where their other prisoner had been, only to see the rope coiled on the ground and no dwarf to be seen.

"Where did he go?" one of them roared.

As three of them searched around the area, the fourth growled and stood up, turning to Kíli and advancing on him. "Tell me where he went or I will gut you!"

The bandit drew out his knife, the fire glimmering off the blade. Before Kíli could say a word, however, Bilbo jumped from his hiding spot and said, "Wait!" 

The bandits spun and grinned a devilish smile as they descended upon poor Bilbo.

* * *

The moment Fíli had put the ring on, he found himself in a phantom world. Everything shimmered and shifted as if nothing was solid. The wind roared in his ears, but he felt no breeze.

Slowly he got to his feet and watched as the bandits descended upon the Hobbit. Fíli was just about to rush forward and take out one from behind when Bilbo said, "Now hang on just a moment."

"And why should we?"

"Well, you see, that is an excellent question, and, well, the excellent answer would be…"

"Spit it out, Halfling!"

Bilbo was obviously startled, his stuttering coming to a halt and his body freezing. As Bilbo continued to take advantage of the bandits' attention, Fïli ran to his brother and quickly began to untie him. Kíli looked around for the person untying him as the ropes loosened one by one.

"What in Durin's name…?"

"Shh, Kee, it's me."

"Fíli? Where…?"

"I’m borrowing Bilbo's ring. You need to get back to the camp and grab your weapons. I'm going to help Bilbo."

Kíli was freed, and he ran from the bandit camp to get his supplies.

With his brother gone, Fíli turned back around, noticing that one of the bandits had picked Bilbo off the ground and was holding his knife in a very threatening manner. "Loosen your tongue or lose it."

Without thinking, Fíli picked up a nearby stone and lobbed it at the knife. His aim was true, striking the hand holding the knife with such force it made the bandit drop it. Bilbo fell to the ground as the bandits spun around to find the source.

"Who's there?" one asked.

"You see, that was what I was trying to tell you. This place… it's, er... it's haunted!"

"Haunted?"

Fíli had to stifle a laugh as he snuck around to a new location and picked up another stone. When he saw his chance he once again threw it, hitting another bandit right between the eyes.

"Yes, haunted! It's a ghost of a dwarf that use to dwell here. All those who try to harm any dwarves in this area disappear, never to be seen or heard from again."

The pure look of terror in the bandit's eyes was so hilarious that Fíli couldn't help but snigger. Evidently, they heard it too. "Did you hear that?'

Fíli crept closer to the group of bandits. Picking up a log from the fire, flames still dancing on the wood, Fíli began to wave it about, spinning it in circles with a flick of his wrist. The sight of the flaming, floating log turned the bandits' faces pale white.

"You see? Haunted," Bilbo stated, trying his best not to laugh.

Fíli got close enough and swung it faster and harder. The bandits tried to back up but soon found it was no good.

"Let's get out of here!" one shouted.

The bandits let out a terrified yell as they ran off, away from the mountains and into the plains. Once they were gone Bilbo and Fíli finally let out the laughter they had been desperately trying to keep in.

Fíli removed the ring from his finger and placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder. "Well done, Bilbo."

"Yes, well, you weren't too bad yourself."

They shared a laugh while Kíli came running in, his bow drawn with an arrow notched. "What happened? Where are the bandits?"

"You're a little late, brother. Bilbo and I took care of them while you took your time getting your weapons."

"Well, I'm sorry that I could not exactly remember how to get to the camp. I was a bit preoccupied being carried off by a group of bandits."

The little troop continued to laugh until finally their sides hurt.

Soon their laughter subsided, and Fíli looked towards the East. "The sun won't rise for a few more hours. We shall take that time to rest before we head into the mountains. Kíli, take Bilbo and fetch the ponies and our gear."

With a nod, Kíli and Bilbo began to walk away.

They hadn't taken two steps when Bilbo stopped and turned back to Fíli. "Wait, I forgot something."

Bilbo approached the young prince and held out his hand. "May I have my ring back?"

Fíli had all but forgotten that he was carrying the ring in his hand. Slowly he brought it up so that he could take a closer look at it. A dark voice hissed something in his head in a language he had never heard before, and Fíli found himself not wanting to return the ring to Bilbo. The golden band was so beautiful, after all. Flawless in every sense of the word. Besides, he was the Prince of Erebor, Keeper of the Arkenstone and Heir to the Throne. What was Bilbo in comparison to _him_?

Kíli took a step forward and placed his hand on Fíli's arm. "Fíli?"

The sudden touch and question of his brother jolted him from the trance he was in. Fíli looked from Bilbo to the ring and then back to Bilbo. "Of course. Here you go, Bilbo."

Fíli was very hesitant as he handed it back to Bilbo. As it left his hand, he instantly began to crave its presence once more. He watched helplessly as his brother and the hobbit vanished, his mind longing for the time the ring would return.

TBC…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

When Bofur had asked the members of the company who wanted to join him in helping the lads, it seemed the entire company wanted to take part. However, due to new responsibilities, most were unable to join him.

Dwalin was very keen on going with them – however, since he already was covering down for Kíli, he couldn't pass it off to someone else; Bombur wanted to join as well, but he was busy working in the kitchens and was just beginning to settle down with a fine dwarrowdam. Ori would have gone except for two small details: one, he was the scribe and still had plenty of scrolls to sift through and two, Dori absolutely forbade it unless he went along, and since Dori was a member of Thorin's council, he couldn't run off as well. Óin wanted to, but he still had his duties as healer, tending to the sick and those who were hurt during Dwalin's training exercises and Glóin was the treasurer, still working his way through the wealth of Erebor.

That left Bifur and Nori, both who agreed to go, not caring about their small responsibilities.

Once it was settled, the trio set off towards the Old Forest Road.

They had only been traveling for a day when they realized their first problem. It seemed not one of them new where the entrance to the road was. As they kept traveling south, Bofur kept his eyes fixed on the border of Mirkwood, hoping he could spot the entrance.

"Don't bother, Bofur. It's further south," Nori said as he rode next to him.

"I don't think so, Nori. I think we may have passed it already."

"We haven't passed it. We would have seen it. It's further south."

"And how would you know? You haven't traveled this way before!"

The two were about to jump at each other when Bifur rode up between them, separating them. " _Askhâb, thurkh!"_ he grunted, pointing towards the forest.

Bofur and Nori came to a stop to see that Bifur was, indeed, correct. There lay the entrance to the road and Bifur was already heading that way. The other two exchanged shocked glances before following after.

* * *

The sun had just begun to kiss the horizon when Fíli, Kíli and Bilbo set forth through the mountains. Although the looks of a storm was still brewing, they could not delay. Bolg and his Orcs could be anywhere and they needed to put as much distance as they could between them.

The path was narrow, forcing them to dismount their ponies and lead them through the pass. At one point Fíli wondered if it would just be safer to send the ponies back, but the thought of leaving the mountains and walking the rest of the way did not sit well with him. Not with Bolg after them.

Around midday the storm they had seen the night before finally struck. They struggled onwards, hoping to make some progress that day, but the rain and wind was almost too much for them.

It was Bilbo who found the cave. After much searching on Kíli's part, they set up camp in it, deciding to try and wait out the storm.

There was no wood to be found, so they were stuck shivering and wet in the cold, dark cave, the only source of light being from the occasional flash of lightning. Fíli kept his mind busy by sharpening his knife, occasionally glancing towards Bilbo. A small voice was whispering in the back of his mind but he was not quite sure what it was.

Oh how he wished he could just hold Bilbo's ring.

Kíli came and sat next to him, grabbing his wounded arm. "How is your arm?"

"It's fi... ow! Kíli, what are you…?"

Kíli had pulled away the bandage and was prodding the wound. "Just making sure it hasn't become infected."

"It's fine, Kíli. It's just a scratch."

"I recall saying those exact words on Bard's boat and look what that ended up being. Now would you sit still?"

Fíli heaved a heavy sigh as he let his brother do his work. As Kíli prodeed it a bit more he winced and tried to pull away. "Would you stop being a Dwarfling?"

"How would you like it if I were prodding your wound?"

Kíli intentionally pushed hard on the edge of it. "Ow! Mahal, Kíli!"

"You're fine. Just try to avoid irritating it."

As Kíli stood up to walk away the sound of a rock falling echoed through the cave. Everyone was on their feet, looking for the source of the noise, weapons already drawn. At first, it seemed that it was possibly just a loose rock falling from the roof however something didn't sit right with any of them. After their encounter in the Goblin tunnels they were wary of _any_ cave in the mountains.

When nothing shifted in the background and everything became still once more, the dwarves and Bilbo relaxed a bit.

"I wish this storm would blow over. The sooner we get out of these mountains, the better," Kíli muttered as he returned his arrow to his quiver.

With a crash of lightning, the entire cave became illuminated. When it did, Bilbo could have sworn he saw something lurking in the corner.

The cave went dark once more, except for a small glint of blue that began to illuminate from Sting. They drew their weapons just as the cave swarmed with Goblins. At least this time they were ready for the attack.

Fíli saw a Goblin about to deliver a killing strike to Kíli and instantly cleaved its head off its shoulders. His selfless act to save his brother, however, left him vulnerable. A Goblin came from behind, wrapping its arms around him and attempting to drag him towards the entrance of the cave.

"Fíli!" Kíli called out.

He tried to push forward to his brother, but the swarm of Goblins was too much. All he could do was watch as they got closer and closer to the opening. Eventually, Fíli grabbed his knife from his bracer and slashed at the Goblin.

He should have paid attention to how close to the edge he was.

Although the slash freed him from the Goblin it put him off balance and he tumbled off the side of the cliff.

"FÍLI!"

Kíli broke through the ranks, rushing to the side, peering down into the dark chasm below. There was nothing. No golden head of hair, no body. No, Fíli.

Tears and anger welled in his eyes as he turned back to the flood of Goblins. He let out a battle cry that shook the mountains as he pulled his sword and began to kill Goblin after Goblin.

A Goblin managed to break through his defense, its sword creating a wound in Kíli's side. Kíli gritted through it and killed the Goblin, only for another Goblin blade to slice his thigh. Kíli fell to the ground and Goblins grabbed his arms and held him on his knees. "Well, well, boys! Looks like we'll be having company tonight!"

As the Goblins began to drag him off Kíli looked around the cave, looking for Bilbo, only to not spot him. Had the Goblins gotten to Bilbo too? First his brother, now the Hobbit; Kíli's heart broke. He had failed Bilbo.

He had failed his brother.

TBC...

**Translation (and I’m sorry if it’s wrong. I’m still learning Khuzdul)**

**_Askhâb, thurkh! –_ ** **Look, the road!**

**Please read and review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

During the fray with the Goblins, Bilbo had managed to slip his ring on, hoping that he could do more good if the Goblins couldn't see him coming. It seemed to be going fine, for a time.

Fíli had fallen off the side of the path, probably dead, and Kíli was now a prisoner of the Goblins.

Perfect. Just perfect.

When everything had calmed down, Bilbo removed the ring from his finger and rushed to the edge of the path where Fíli had fallen. To his left he could see the end of the line of Goblins that had taken Kíli. Down below he couldn't see any sign of the golden prince.

Bilbo had to make a choice. Either try and find Fíli and pray that he was still alive, which at this point was doubtful, or follow Kíli and attempt a rescue. He really didn't want to have to choose but unfortunately there was only one of him.

With a sigh, Bilbo replied, "Fíli forgive me," before following after Kíli.

The path the Goblins had taken was a narrow one that wound down the side of the cliff face and into a dark cavern. Bilbo kept himself far away enough so that he wouldn't be seen - yet close enough that he wouldn't lose them.

When the Goblins had entered the cave, Bilbo prepared to go in, only to see a Goblin sentry standing guard at the entrance. Of _course_ this couldn't be easy.

Bilbo had just taken out his ring to slip it on so he could sneak back when his elbow hit a loose boulder, knocking it free and tumbling away from the wall.

Unfortunately the sentry noticed it and looked up to see Bilbo. Before Bilbo could put on his ring, the sentry charged. He gripped Sting and managed to block the blows, but his skill was still inferior to the Goblin.

The Goblin tackled Bilbo, sending him to the ground. Bilbo hit it, and the ring flew from his grasp, falling off the side of the path, descending into darkness.

That was the least of Bilbo's worries.

He managed to get the upper hand and ran Sting through the Goblin's throat. He rolled the Goblin off him, rushing to the side, hoping to see where the ring went but no sign was given. That was the second thing the mountains had claimed from them.

There wouldn't be a third.

As much as it pained him to do so, he turned away from the cliff side and, with Sting as his source of light, he entered the tunnels.

* * *

At some point, when the Goblins had dragged him through the tunnels, Kíli had been knocked out cold.

The last thing he remembered was entering the caves and now he had woken inside a dank, musty old hole in the wall with a wooden set of bars covering the entrance. A cage.

He sat up, finding that he had been stripped of his weapons and his overcoat, leaving him in his tunic, trousers and boots. A soft wind blew through the cave, sending a chill up his spine.

As he rubbed his arms for warmth he heard a sneer, "Aww, is the little dwarf cold?"

Kíli cast his brown eyes towards the entrance to his cell and saw three Goblins leering their yellow eyes at him. "Does the little dwarf want a blanket?"

Kíli put on a brave face, one that would do Thorin proud. He would not show fear to these creatures. To show fear was to show weakness and anyone of the line of Durin was not weak.

"What happened to the other one he was with?"

"Fell off the mountain. Down, down, down he went."

Kíli could feel his blood begin to boil. How dare they laugh at his brother? How dare they mock his pain?

"Poor little weak dwarf."

Before he could stop himself, Kíli launched himself from the ground at the bars to his cell, ignoring the pain that erupted from the wound on his leg as he reached his arm through to strangle the offending Goblin. He closed his grip tighter around the Goblin's throat, squeezing the life out of him. One of the other Goblins brought out its club and brought it down hard on Kíli's wounded arm, forcing the young prince to quickly relinquish his hold.

That wasn't enough for the Goblins.

Before Kíli could move, the door to his cell swung open and the three Goblins came in, two grabbing his arms and forcing him to his knees.

"You will pay for that, scum!" the third Goblin, the one he had tried to strangle, sneered.

The club came down harder and harder with every swing. With each impact on his bruised body, Kíli resisted the urge to cry out in pain. He would not show weakness, not to these things. Blow after blow, bruise after bruise and yet it seemed it would never end.

Not until something grabbed the club from the Goblin before tossing it across the room. "Enough!"

Kíli looked up to see who his rescuer was but only felt his heart drop even further when he saw what it was: an Orc.

When the Orc leered down at Kíli, it seemed to be studying him. "Where are the others?"

"One took a tumble off the cliff and the other just vanished."

"Vanished?"

The Goblin nodded, and The Orc let out a guttural growl before lifting the Goblin up by its neck. "You had better find them and bring them to my Master or it will be your heads that we roast tonight!"

After the Orc threw the Goblin away, the three creatures squealed before running off into the caverns.

The Orc then turned to the battered dwarf. "Someone wants to see you, Dwarf." 

Kíli was too hurt to fight back as the Orc bound his hands behind him and dragged him away.

Kíli's attention was not on where he was going or what awaited him, but on Bilbo and Fíli. He prayed to Mahal that the Goblins would not find them and that Bilbo had found Fíli, hopefully alive, and had gotten him to safety. He did not want his brother and friend to have to suffer at the hands of Goblins and Orcs. No, Kíli would make sure that never happened.

Kíli was suddenly pushed forward, falling to his knees. He kept his gaze to the ground so that he could compose himself before he faced whatever awaited him.

The Orc that had brought him here began to speak in the Black Tongue. Something stood up in front of Kíli, but he did not look up to see what it was. It wasn't until a hand with cold, tough skin lifted his face up harshly by his chin did he see exactly who it was.

Bolg.

With a sneer, Bolg said something to the Orcs in the Black Speech. Kíli was not sure if it was a question for him or a statement to the others.

"It seems our guest is not familiar with the Black Speech. Tell me, _gazat,_ where is the yellow-haired one?"

Kíli refused to say a word. Instead, he just glared up at him with a cold, hard gaze.

His face began to sting as soon as Bolg hit him across the face. "It's rude to ignore a question, _gazat_. Where is the other dwarf you traveled with? The one who slayed Azog."

Again Kíli did not answer.

"If you tell me where he is, I will make sure your end is swift."

When Kíli opened his mouth, however, it was to launch the ball of spit that had accumulated in his mouth, hitting Bolg straight in the face.

Bolg let out an angry cry before wrapping his fingers around Kíli's throat and lifting him into the air. "You will pay for that, _glob_. Tell me where he is or we will find your third traveling companion and make you watch while we squeeze the information from him."

Bilbo. No, he could not let them find Bilbo. But he wasn't going to give up his brother.

Kíli opened his mouth to say something, only to find that he couldn't. All that came out were squeaks and gasps.

"What was that, _gazat?_ "

When Kíli felt Bolg release some of the pressure from his neck, he took in a deep breath before replying in a raspy voice, "You already have him."

Bolg quickly dropped him. "What do you mean?"

With the coldest stare he could muster, Kíli replied with a confident voice. "I was the one that killed Azog."

TBC...

**Black speech translation:**

**_Gazat -_ ** **dwarf**

**_Glob -_ ** **scum**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Bofur wasn't sure what to expect when they entered Mirkwood. Perhaps they would have found the lads wandering about hopelessly and hilariously lost. It would have made their lives easier, but Bofur knew that wouldn't be the case. Fíli and Kíli _never_ made things easy.

Even so, they were not expecting to find a battlefield.

They had stumbled upon it while searching for a place to rest for the night. Almost missed it too, if Bifur hadn't jumped from his pony and landed on an Orc head. The moment his boot hit the offending object it rolled out from under him, sending the unsuspecting dwarf onto his backside. Bofur and Nori had a right good laugh until it rolled out into plain view.

"Is that an Orc head?" Nori asked.

Bifur picked it up as Bofur and Nori dismounted their ponies, noticing the rest of the remnants of battle.

"You think Bilbo and the lads had anything to do with this?" Nori asked.

"If so, I hope they made it out."

Bofur looked at Nori, watching the thief pocket a leather pouch that hung from the belt of a slain Orc. "What are you doing?"

"I know a buyer in Dale who would pay good money for this."

"I would have thought your share of the treasure would have been enough."

"You can _never_ have enough," Nori replied with a wink.

Their arguing was delayed by the arrival of a sleigh drawn by rabbits that came gallivanting through the forest. Nori had to jump to the side before the lead rabbit ran him over. The owner of the sleigh didn't notice the dwarves and was rather confused as to why his rabbits had come to a stop.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Nori shouted at the old man.

"Who said that?" Radagast asked, frantically looking about and over the heads of the dwarves. After having overlooked them about three times, Bofur cleared his throat and waved his hand, gaining the wizard's attention. When his eyes landed on the dwarves he nearly fell off his sleigh. "My goodness, I didn't see you there."

"You don't say," Bofur muttered under his breath, sarcasm dripping off of every word.

"What are dwarves doing so far away from Erebor?"

"You wouldn't have happened to have come across a couple of dwarves and a Hobbit recently?" Bofur asked hopefully.

Radagast looked at them in confusion.

"I'll take that as a no," Nori muttered.

"Are you looking for the princes?"

"So you _have_ seen them," Nori clarified.

"Of course!"

Bofur and Nori's faces brightened at the news. Perhaps their journey would be a lot quicker and less trouble than they had originally thought.

"Really? Where? When?" Nori questioned.

"Why, at Erebor, of course! Where else would they be?"

Bofur groaned as Nori smacked his forehead. Of course it seemed too good to be true. After all, look who they were talking to. Maybe if they had run into Beorn or the Eagles, but no, they ran into _Radagast the mad wizard_.

"Well that was a waste of time. Come along, Bifur, let's go before his madness rubs off on us," Nori called before starting to walk away.

Bifur emerged from where he had been just as Nori began to walk towards the ponies. He hadn't made it far when the wind began to pick up. Leaves began to rustle around them, swirling around their feet. A soft voice could faintly be heard, almost drowned out by the roar of the breeze that carried it. The language was dark and foreign to their ears.

"Do you hear that?" Nori asked.

The voice seemed to be getting louder and louder as the wind blew even quicker. Radagast's face paled instantly, having heard that very voice before in a place of darkness. "The Necromancer," he muttered.

The three dwarves all turned to look at him, Bifur's face the most confused out of them.

"The what?" Bofur asked with almost a squeak in his tone.

"We must leave these woods, now! Come, I'll take you somewhere safe."

"But the ponies…" began Nori.

He had no time to finish his statement before Radagast pulled him and Bofur onto the sleigh with such force that almost knocked Bofur's hat from his head. Before they were carried off, Nori grabbed Bifur by the back of his shirt, dragging him onto the sleigh just as the rabbits set off with such speed.

The three dwarves had a hard time trying to hold onto something. Eventually Bofur and Nori gripped the handles Radagast held onto while Bifur wrapped his arms around the wizard's legs. A shadow seemed to fall over them as they fled. Bofur chanced a glance behind them, his eyes wide with shock when he saw a shadowy figure flying towards them.

It didn't seem that they were going to outrun whatever this thing was.

The dwarves weren't sure exactly how far away or for how long they had ridden that crazy chariot. They were too busy focused on the threat following them. When they did come to a stop they tumbled forward, landing uncomfortably.

"Quickly, inside!" Radagast ushered.

When they got up, they finally got a glimpse of where they were. A house built around a tree… or was it a tree growing through the middle of the house? They weren't quite sure but at this point they didn't care. Very quickly they rushed through the door, Radagast being the last in.

The moment they were inside, they witnessed a mess of small creatures scurrying to small holes in the tree trunk or up the robes of the wizard. Radagast was not bothered at all by this in the least. Instead he faced the door, holding his staff in a threatening manner. Rather quietly he began to mutter a strange string of words. The dwarves looked around as they listened to the boards of the house creak and crack. There was a flash of light and then everything became still.

Dots danced in their vision as they tried to recover from the sudden blast of light. When things grew less fuzzy, they saw Radagast placing a small hedgehog back onto the table, whistling a tune as he did so.

"What just happened?" Bofur asked.

"The Necromancer. He's been haunting these woods for some time."

Bofur and Nori stared at him with eyes that pressed for further information.

"You three stay here and make yourselves comfortable. I need to go find someone. Won't be long."

Before they could even stop him to get further answers, the wizard rushed out the door, the rickety old door nearly falling off its hinges as it came to a close.

Once the wizard was gone Bofur and Nori stood frozen and confused.

"What just happened?" Nori asked.

Bofur shook his head, not sure what had happened himself. He turned to ask Bifur, but saw that his cousin was busy playing with the little hedgehog, cradling it in his arms and tickling its belly with his finger as he muttered Khuzdul words at it.

TBC…


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Pain.

That was the first thing to register when he finally came to. Lots and lots of pain. Of course, that was to be expected. After all, Fíli _had_ fallen off the side of a massive cliff in the mountains.

At first he didn't want to open his eyes or even move. The smallest twitch in his fingers shot a sharp pain up his arm. Even breathing in was painful.

Eventually he opened his blue eyes, taking a minute to focus on the grey rocks in front of him. There was little light but just enough to make out distinct shapes in the area. Slowly he tried to push himself up off his stomach but the moment he put pressure on his left wrist, he fell in agony. With a hiss he looked to his hand. His wrist was swollen and at an odd angle; most definitely dislocated. With his good hand he prodded at the area, trying to feel which bone it was that was popped out of place, and a muffled gasp nearly tore through his throat when he found it. He knew what he was going to do was going to be excruciating but he needed to be able to somewhat use his hands.

He had to find Kíli.

Fíli rolled onto his side, which was a task in and of itself, seeing as how he could feel cracked and broken ribs protesting with every move. He had to be slow; otherwise the world would begin to spin wildly.

He managed to sit up and lean against the rock face. With his right hand he pulled out his hunting knife and put it between his teeth. The blade fogged up as he exhaled but he paid no mind to it. Carefully he used his right hand to cradle his left and, after a few deep breaths, he clenched his eyes shut and pressed.

There was an ear piercing scream that erupted from him, slightly distorted by the item in his mouth. As it began to numb he could feel warm liquid dripping down his arm from the reopened wound on his forearm he had sustained in the plains, not to mention the sticky coat that caked his head.

As he sat there, panting and waiting for the pain to subside, something gold and glittering caught his eyes. When his eyes found it, his face went pale.

Bilbo's ring.

He crawled over to it, slowly, his right shoulder protesting when he reached out to grab it and the moment it was in his hands, he felt calmer. What had it been doing down here? Did Bilbo drop it? Bilbo would have never lost it on purpose. Fíli prayed nothing bad had come to the Hobbit as he slowly got to his feet, slipping the ring into his pocket.

Once he was on his feet and the world had stopped spinning he looked up the rock face from where he fell. The ridge above was hundreds of feet up on the air. How in Middle Earth did he survive that drop?

He stepped towards it precariously and grabbed onto the rock with his right hand. The moment he tried to lift himself up to climb he fell back in agony. There was no way he was going to be able to climb up.

So how was he going to get out of this mess?

As he stared up, trying to find the easiest route something hit him from behind and the world went black.

* * *

"I was the one that killed Azog."

At first everything was silent as Bolg stared down at Kíli and he thought that perhaps the Orc had believed his lie.

That idea was shattered, however, when Bolg began to laugh.

"Nice try, dwarf. I know it was not you. The Slayer of Azog has hair of gold and besides, you are nothing more than a runt."

"You can't believe everything you are told. I killed Azog. I ran him through and cut off his head so he would never come back and threaten my family again."

"Family?"

Kíli did not show any physical response as Bolg knelt before him, examining him even closer than before. "You are related to Thorin Oakenshield?"

Kíli did not answer him.

"You are the Prince of Erebor?"

Again, Kíli remained silent.

"If you are the prince, then, who was the yellow one who traveled with you? The one I chased through the plains?"

Kíli sought his brain for an answer. He had known Bolg had seen Fíli in those plains. With a confident voice, he replied, "My protector. He makes sure nothing happens to me."

It wasn't completely a lie. Fíli was his big brother and had always kept him safe from harm in any way that he could. Always had since they were dwarflings.

"It seems your protector has failed you."

Bolg withdrew a knife and held it to Kíli's throat. "You do, indeed, share some resemblance to Thorin Oakenshield, but your eyes give you away. They are full of deceit and lies. So I will give you one chance to tell me the truth. Where is the Slayer of Azog?"

Kíli took in a shaky breath before replying, "I am the Slayer of Azog."

Suddenly he felt the knife slice across his cheek. It was a shallow cut - that much he could tell. The wound stung as it began to bleed.

"Stop lying _, gazat_.  Those who lie to me do not last long. So I shall ask you again: where is the Slayer of Azog?"

Kíli gritted his teeth as he looked into Bolg's face. "I am the Slayer of Azog."

Bolg growled as he picked Kíli up by the throat and held the knife under his chin. "Where is he?!"

Even though his body screamed for the air he was not receiving, Kíli kept his face stoic as he replied, “I am the Slayer of Azog!”

Bolg cried out a guttural howl as he threw Kíli against the wall of the cave. "He's all yours, boys!"

Before Kíli could even sit up he felt cold, callous hands grabbing at his clothes. The Orcs held him still as another withdrew a whip. With a crack, Kíli felt a burning sensation across his chest where the whip had hit. He doubled over just as another crack resounded, hitting him this time on his shoulder. Lash after lash the whip came down on him, tearing at his clothes and leaving blood on his skin.

All the while Kíli kept his mouth shut, only every letting out hisses in pain. He would not scream for them.

Just as he thought he was going to black out from the pain he felt himself being dragged back through the tunnels and thrown into his cage. The moment he was left alone he attempted to push himself up so he was sitting instead of lying on the floor like a weakling.

If there was one thing Kíli wasn't, it was weak.

Even at a young age when he was smaller than the rest of the dwarves his age, Kíli was never weak because there was always one person that gave him strength.

Fíli.

Kíli recalled a memory long past , one that still brought a smile to his face.

_Little Kíli struggled to keep up with Fíli as they ran through the forest around the Blue Mountains. Once again they were on an "adventure" to reclaim Erebor._

_"Fíli, wait up!" Kíli called to his older brother._

_"Hurry, Kee, we don't have much time!"_

_Fíli bounded through a patch of trees and out of sight. "Fee, wait!"_

_Kíli followed but when he arrived at the spot Fíli had disappeared to, he was alone. Kíli looked around, hoping to spot his brother. "Fee?"_

_The sounds of life that lingered in the forest echoed about him, causing Kíli's heart to hammer against his chest. He pulled out his little wooden sword that Thorin had given him to train with, hoping it would be enough to protect him. Something leapt out of the bushes and with a fearful scream, Kíli swung._

_It was a bunny, coming to nibble at the patch of grass by Kíli's feet. As Kíli realized what it was Fíli came running towards him, his sword drawn and at the ready._

_"Kíli, are you alright?" he asked with a worried voice._

_Kíli dropped his wooden sword and embraced his big brother. "I thought you left me!"_

_"Oh Kee, I would_ never _leave you."_

_"I was all alone and I was scared."_

_Fíli pried Kíli off him and held him at arm’s length as he looked into his brother's eyes. "You're not alone._ _I'm right here. I'm always here and should we ever get separated I will always find my way back to you."_

_"You promise?"_

_"I promise. Now come on, I think it's nearing supper and Mum will kill us if we're late again."_

_"Okay... race you home?"_

_The brothers smiled as they bolted off in the direction of home, laughing and giggling the entire way._

Kíli smiled at the fond memory and just the thought of it made him feel warmer inside. Fíli was right; he wasn't alone.

He was never alone.

TBC...


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Fíli made a mental note to avoid getting hit in the head after already sustaining a head injury as he finally came too.

His head was now throbbing, feeling as if a hammer was pounding against his skull. If anything he felt _worse_ than before.  Falling off a cliff had already hurt him enough, but now that he hadn't properly tended to his wounds, it was starting to get increasingly more painful and he was feeling much, much weaker. Whether it was the blood loss or the concussion that was affecting him more, he could not say for sure.

The Goblins that were dragging him were not exactly mindful of the state of their prisoner. His feet dragged across the rocky floor, jarring his legs. The way they held him put a lot of strain on his injured shoulder and was rather uncomfortable for his broken ribs. Not that they really cared.

Eventually they came to a stop and threw Fíli on the ground carelessly. As Fíli rolled on his back to try and avoid his injured ribs, a Goblin came up in front of him and roughly tied his hands together. The rope was tied tightly around his wrists, adding a lot of pressure onto his dislocated wrist and sending more pain through his body.

Just once Fíli would like to be captured by friendly captors that were mindful of the state of their prisoners.

He wasn't sure where they came from but a couple of Orcs appeared, sneering when their yellow eyes landed on him. "Where did you find this one?"

"Does it matter? We did what your Master asked of us."

Fíli just glared at them, not showing fear or emotion.

"The dark-haired one is not giving us answers. Perhaps this one will be easier to persuade."

Fíli was glad they turned around when they did otherwise they would have seen the change in emotion in his face. _The dark-haired one_.

Did they have Kíli? What did they mean he was not giving answers? Were they torturing his little brother?

_Their master…_ Fíli's face blanched. Bolg. Bolg had his brother. Bolg was torturing his brother for information about him.

No, he could not let that happen. He had to find him.

It took a bit of effort but Fíli reached into his pocket where he had hid the ring only to find it was missing. His eyes frantically searched the cave for it until he spotted a Goblin examining it. If he was going to save Kíli, he was going to need Bilbo's ring. He wasn't sure, however, on how he was going to get the ring from the Goblin. It wasn't like he was in any condition to fight and trying to sneak up on the Goblin would be like Kíli trying to sneak into Thorin's armory when they were little dwarflings.

And let's say that he even _managed_ to get the ring and escape the Goblins, he had no idea where his brother was being held. The mountains were vast and one could easily get lost in the tunnels beneath the mountains; Kíli would be killed before he could reach him.

Fíli needed a plan and so far the one that was coming to mind wasn't ideal but it was the only way to save Kíli. Painfully he got to his feet, doing his best not to draw the attention of the other Goblins.

He took a few steps and launched himself at the Goblin holding the Ring. They tustled as Fíli struggled to get the upperhand and, succeeding, snapped the Goblin's neck with a sickening crack before getting to his feet and attempting to run.

"He's escaping! After him!"

Fíli knew the Goblins would catch up to him; that was the point.

He hadn't made it far when there was a violent _crack_ and a stinging sensation ripping across his back. He fell forward onto his knees, his back stinging from the whipmark. Another _crack_ and he fell fast first into the rocks, this time his back dripping with blood. He wasn't sure how many times they brought the whip down on him, but eventually they stopped and dragged him back towards the camp they had set up. He landed painfully on his back and before the Goblins left him alone they gave him a final kick in his ribcage for good measure.

As soon as they walked away, Fíli looked down to his bound hands to see the ring that he clutched like a lifeline in his hands.

His plan had worked.

Now all he needed was for them to take him to where they were holding his brother and he could slip the ring to Kíli so that Kíli may escape while Fíli gave himself to the Orc so that he would no longer chase after his brother and Bilbo... if Bilbo was still even alive.

Fíli lay in pain, closing his eyes and smiling when he saw Kíli smiling at him. It always seemed that it was him getting his little brother out of trouble. When Kíli was caught stealing their mother's cookies from the cookie jar, it was Fíli who claimed it was him so his brother wouldn't get punished; when they had been caught sneaking into the forge in the Blue Mountains, it was Fíli who said it was his idea and Kíli was just following along even though it was Kíli who ran in first and Fíli was only there to make sure he didn't get hurt; when Kíli was injured on a hunting trip months before the quest, it was Fíli who carried him back home.

Fíli remembered all the adventures he and his brother shared and all the times he got his brother out of trouble. This time would be no different. He would do whatever it took to make sure Kíli was safe, even if that meant sacrificing his own life.

He remembered the promise he made Kíli all those years ago. _"You're not alone._ _I'm right here. I'm always here and should we ever get separated I will always find my way back to you."_

When he opened his eyes he stared down at the ring in his hands. "Hang on, Kee," he began, pocketing the ring in his jacket, "I'm coming for you."

TBC...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Bilbo was lost.

He had lost track of how long he had been wandering in those caves. He wasn't sure if it had been a few hours or even a few days. The lack of light made time seem to stand still beneath the mountain.

And in the entire time he had been searching, he hadn't found a single clue or sign of where Kíli was.

Bilbo came to a stop, resting against a large rock as he steadied his breathing. His legs were weary from continuously walking about but he couldn't stop. He  _had_  to find Kíli.

For Fíli's sake.

He just hoped he found Kíli soon. Bilbo longed to get out of the mountains and feel the sun's rays on his face; the wind through his hair.

He missed the lush green grass of the Shire; he missed his garden, his books... his armchair. Oh, how he loved his armchair. How he would curl up in his armchair with a book and a cup of tea as he sat by the fire.

Oh, how he couldn't wait to get back to Bag End.

He was so busy reminiscing about home that he hadn't noticed the glow of Sting until he heard the chatter of Orcs. When he heard it, he quickly dropped to the ground, knocking the wind out of him as he peered around the boulder. Bilbo wasn't sure what they were saying but he felt compelled to follow them. Something told him they knew where they were going.

So he followed.

Without his ring, Bilbo had to be extra careful to not be detected. There wasn't much light in the caves, if at all and not wanting to gain the attention of the goblins he dared not bring out Sting to light his way, so he found himself stumbling over rocks. Hobbits were not meant to explore caves. Not that they were really meant to go on adventures yet there he was.

Oh, how he couldn't  _wait_  to get home to Bag End.

Bilbo's ears picked up more voices and a muffled cry of pain. His stomach twisted because that sound was not any Orc or goblin.

It was too  _human_  for that.

When Bilbo rounded the corner he found a nice big boulder to hide behind and when he saw the sight that lay before him, his face paled.

Bolg was circling a crumpled, wounded figured on the ground, whose brown hair was plastered to his face. Red welts and blood oozed through his clothing and his hands were bound tightly in front of him. An Orc stood by him, holding a torch, the flame casting dancing shadows on the wall. "Why do you remain silent? Why subject yourself to this pain?"

Kíli's brown eyes kept their gaze fixed on the ground in front of him as his chest rose and fell to keep his breathing calm. Bolg grabbed a fist full of his brown hair and wrenched his head back, a knife glistening in his hand as he ran the blade against his cheek. "All you have to do is tell me where he is and all of this will stop."

_"Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul."_

Bolg growled as he slid the knife down Kíli's face, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. As the blood fell Bolg asked in an angrier tone, "Where is he?!"

Kíli kept his mouth shut, his eyes showing no fear.

With anger welling inside him Bolg took the torch from the Orc and grabbed Kíli's bound hands. Kíli tried to wiggle away but he was too weak from his wounds and Bolg was much stronger. The Orc held a sinister grin as he brought the torch closer and closer to Kíli's arm. Bilbo couldn't watch the moment he heard Kíli's screams of agony; he didn't want to see the fire burning on his skin.

The cries stopped when an Orc spoke up. They spoke in the Black Tongue, so Bilbo wasn't sure what they were saying. He was more focused on Kíli, who was curled up in himself, the skin on his left arm blistered and blackened.

Whatever the Orc had told Bolg had brought a smile to his face. "Did you hear that,  _gazat?_  The Goblins have found a yellow dwarf in the mountains."

From where Bilbo stood he could see Kíli stiffen and a brief glance of fear in his chocolate eyes as he stared at the ground. Bolg gave an order to the Orcs around him in their speech which spurned a few Orcs to grab Kíli and drag him away.

Bilbo wanted so badly to follow Kíli and get him to safety, but there was no way he could carry Kíli out by himself, not in the state he was in. No, he needed to enlist the help of Fíli.

But first things first, he had to get to him.

The Orcs that had brought the news were walking away and Bilbo decided he was going to follow, hoping they would lead him directly to the dwarf he sought. In the back of his mind he prayed that Fíli was in much better condition than his brother.

Then he remembered that the poor dwarf had taken a tumble and who knew how far he fell.

Why couldn't things be easy just  _once_?

Bilbo jumped out of his skin and hid quickly when he realized that he had nearly walked into a Goblin, and mentally criticized himself. He needed to pay better attention to his surroundings.

Once he controlled his breathing he took a glance and sighed in relief when he saw that it was a group of Goblins and the two Orcs he followed who were escorting a hurt Fíli. His hands were bound in front of him with a Goblin in front of him tugging on the rope to usher him forward.

Bilbo withdrew Sting from his sheathe and altered his grip as he took a deep breath. There was no time to formulate a plan of stealth.

Kíli didn't have that kind of time.

After taking a deep breath Bilbo let out a battle cry that would make the dwarves proud and jumped from his hiding spot, slashing and thrusting at the Goblins. The creatures were completely unprepared for the attack, making them slower in defending themselves.

Bilbo managed to slay four creatures before they were armed. The distraction had given Fíli the chance he needed to take the rope the Goblin was pulling him with and wrap it around its throat, tightening it and strangling the beast. With that creature dead, Fíli rushed over towards Bilbo who quickly cut the ropes from his hands.

"Bilbo, how did…?"

"Now is not really a good time," Bilbo squeaked as he watched the group of Goblins close in on them. Fíli nodded and noticed the Goblin who carried his swords.

"Got any ideas?" Fíli asked.

"I was rather hoping you would have thought of one already."

Fíli looked around, trying to find a solution. He just needed to get to his swords. "When I tell you to, charge."

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Bilbo nodded as Fíli kept his eyes focused on the Goblin with his weapons.

"Now!"

Fíli and Bilbo charged, both unleashing battle cries. Bilbo slashed, still uncomfortable holding a weapon but much more skilled, which gave Fíli the advantage he needed.

After sliding under a Goblin blade that was meant to slice him down, he grabbed the hilt of one his blades and pulled, drawing the blade and slicing the Goblin. The Goblin fell and he grabbed his other sword, hacking at the Goblin coming up from behind. His wounds shouted in protest but there was no time.

Fíli managed to salvage his hunting knife from another Goblin before he realized that more and more Goblins were running towards them.

"Bilbo!"

Bilbo turned to see Fíli waving at him. He knew what the dwarf was telling him.

It was time to disappear.

At a speed he didn't know he was capable of, Bilbo followed Fíli through the tunnels.

It was the blind leading the blind; they had no idea where they were going, only hoping to find a way to lose their pursuers.

As they ran, Fíli's eyes caught of a tunnel that seemed to head downwards. With his right arm he grabbed Bilbo by the shirt and dragged him towards the hole.

"Jump!"

The Dwarf and Hobbit jumped down the spinning tunnel, their bodies tumbling downwards as they fell deeper into the mountains. They didn't know where they were going but one thing was for sure; wherever they were headed, the Goblins did not want to follow.

TBC…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzdul translations:
> 
> Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul. - You probably recognize this as the insult Gimli gave Haldir, and yes, it is that insult. Although the definition is unclear, there seems to be one consensus on what it is: I spit upon your grave. It is either that or "I shit on your face," according to Richard Armitage while he was doing publicity for the Desolation of Smaug


	14. Chapter 14

It had been a day in a half and still Radagast had not returned to his home.

During that time the dwarves were going stir crazy, except for Bifur, who seemed to bond very well with the hedgehog and was intrigued by the entirety of the mad wizard's home.

Nori sat against a tree trunk, twiddling one of his knives as Bofur stood by the window, watching the woods for any sign of Radagast. They were losing precious time for the longer they spent there the further away Fíli, Kíli and Bilbo got.

He just hoped that nothing bad befell them.

"Any sign of him?" Nori asked.

Bofur shook his head.

"We're wasting our time here. We should be out there," Nori continued, standing up from the tree trunk.

"Radagast told us to wait, so we wait."

"And you're going to listen to him? Don't tell me you really think waiting here is a good idea."

"Of course not…"

"Then we should get going." Nori was walking towards the door and before he could pry it open, it was pushed hard, hitting Nori and sending him to the ground.

"Ah, so sorry," Radagast said as he entered his home, "I didn't see you there. I've got some good news for you!"

"You've gotten yourself a spell to improve your eyesight?" Nori asked, rubbing his shoulder where the door had hit him.

"I've found Beorn and it seems he knows where the princes and the Hobbit are."

As he said this, the giant Beorn crawled through the door. Bofur was actually surprised the tall man could even fit in the small house. When Beorn's eyes landed on them, he asked the wizard "Is this it then?"

Before Radagast could get a word in, Beorn found himself bombarded with questions.

"Have you seen the lads?"

"How were they?"

"When did you see them?"

"Are they alright?"

"They haven't landed themselves in any trouble yet, have they?"

"Where were they headed?"

"Has Kíli knocked any sense into Fíli?"

"Has Bilbo killed them yet?"

" _Enough_!" Beorn bellowed, cutting off Nori before he could add a question. Bofur and Nori quickly shut their mouths as Bifur continued to cuddle with the tiny hedgehog.

After taking a deep breath, Beorn said, "I will answer your questions, but only one at a time, if you please."

"Have you seen the lads?" Bofur asked, much slower.

"Aye, indeed I have," Beorn replied, walking over to an empty chair at the table that seemed far too small for him, "Not five days past. And before you ask, Star-Dwarf, they were fine, as was the Hobbit that traveled with them."

Bofur and Nori breathed a sigh of relief. "Well that's good, right?" Bofur asked.

Beorn growled under his breath, making the smiles drop from their faces.

"I don't think I like the sound of that," Nori whispered to Bifur.

"They may have been fine when I last saw them, but I can't tell you for sure the state they are in now. There's an Orc pack on their tail, led by Bolg."

"Who’s that?" Bofur asked.

Beorn looked at him in complete dismay. "Who is... _who is_?! By the heavens, are your heads as hard as the stones you mine?"

Bofur and Nori shrugged.

"Bolg is the son of Azog and he is currently after the dwarf who killed his father."

Realization hit the two dwarves as they turned to one another. "Fíli," they said in unison.

Beorn pointed at them to show that they were correct as he continued. "They were chased out of the woods towards the Misty Mountains. Before they fled, I heard them talking about Dimrill Dale."

"Dimrill Dale? The boys would never try to go through there... would they?" Bofur asked, turning towards Nori.

"Don't look at me! How should I know?"

"Either way, the Mountains are crawling with Goblins."

 _You don't say,_ Nori thought to himself as Beorn continued on. "More and more Goblin patrols have been spotted in and around the Mountains. If I didn't know any better, I would think they are looking for something...or someone."

"You think they're helping Bolg?"

Beorn shrugged as he leant back in his chair, the wood creaking beneath his weight. Bofur turned to Nori and said, "We should leave. If we're lucky we might catch them in the mountain pass."

"And how do you suggest we do that? We left our ponies behind when we were running from the shadow thingy!"

"Are you telling me those three ponies I found in the woods belong to you?" Beorn questioned.

The dwarves looked at him quizzically. "You found the ponies?"

"Well, I didn't find them. A few of my friends in the woods did and brought them to my home. When Radagast here came and told me I needed to come with him to speak to a few dwarves he found wandering through the forest, I figured I'd bring them along since the last time dwarves came through these parts they were in need of some. They're just outside."

Nori peered out the window and, sure enough, tethered to a tree limb were their three ponies. "Durin's beard…" he muttered under his breath.

Bofur rushed to Beorn and took his hand, shaking it as hard as he could. "Thank you again, Beorn."

Beorn just grumbled as Bofur turned to Bifur. "Come, Bifur, we have some princes and a burglar to catch!"

Just as they were about to walk out the door, Radagast spoke up, "Wait just one moment!"

The three dwarves stopped and spun around, Bofur and Nori wearing confused glances and Bifur's as unreadable as ever. Once they were facing Radagast, he approached Nori and held out his hand. "I'll be having it back now."

Bofur turned to Nori and watched in horror as Nori removed a blue crystal from his jacket and placed it in Radagast's hand. When he tried to turn and leave, Radagast cleared his throat and said, "All of it."

With a sigh, Nori turned back around and pulled a candleholder, a small wooden bowl and a jar with green liquid from his jacket, handing it back to the wizard. Once Radagast was content with what Nori had given him, Nori turned and met the unamused glare of Bofur.

"What? It's just a few souvenirs."

**TBC…**


	15. Chapter 15

Eventually Bilbo and Fíli stopped tumbling further into the darkness. What broke their fall was a lake hidden in the gloom of the mountain. It reminded Bilbo of the lake he had met Gollum at but, thankfully, they were much further away from that place.

When Bilbo's head emerged from beneath the water, he splashed about, trying to keep himself afloat.

"Fíli!" he called out into the darkness.

However nothing answered his calls.

"Fíli! Fíli, are you alright?"

After a few moments of silence, Bilbo muttered, "Oh no, I just killed Thorin's nephew."

"Actually," a voice came from behind him, sending him almost under once again. When he spun around, he sighed in relief when he saw it was Fíli who was swimming (if you could call what he was doing swimming) towards him, "You didn't. Would you like a hand?"

Bilbo nodded gratefully as Fíli grabbed his collar and slowly helped Bilbo to the shore. When they finally reached dry land, Bilbo saw Fíli's weapons lying on the floor along with Sting. "Where did…?"

"Before you started shouting, I was busy diving for them."

In the dim light Bilbo could see watery red streams flowing down his left arm. "Fíli, your arm…"

"I know." Fíli didn't look at him as he stared up at the tunnel they had just fallen down. As his eyes lingered up there, his teeth began to grind before he picked up a stone and threw it into the water, growling a curse in Khuzdul.

Bilbo was frozen by the outburst. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright! Kíli is somewhere in these caves being tortured by Bolg and I have no idea where he is. Everything was going fine until you showed up!"

"Me? What did…?"

"I had a plan, Bilbo! The Goblins were going to take me straight to Kíli and now look where we're at! Stuck in some cavern Mahal knows how far away from my brother!"

"You were going to let the Goblins take you to Bolg? Are you insane? The moment Bolg saw you he would have tortured you before killing you!"

"He has Kíli, Bilbo! How else was I going to find him? We don't know how much time we have before Bolg tires of him and I am not letting that _rukhs_ kill my _nadadith_. Not while I still have breath in my body."

Bilbo stood from where he sat, rubbing the grime off his hands onto his trousers. He could tell in Fíli's eyes that he wasn't mad at Bilbo for saving him; he was worried about Kíli. They both were.

Gently, he placed a hand on Fíli's shoulder. "We'll find him, Fíli."

"And how do you suggest we do that?"

"Well, if we can find our way back up to where we were, I have a pretty good idea on how to get to Kíli."

Fíli turned to look at Bilbo in disbelief. "You know where Kíli is?"

"More or less. Before I found you, I saw Kíli."

"You saw him? Where was he? Was he hurt?"

Bilbo did not want to answer his questions. His silence confirmed Fíli's fears.

With another sigh, Bilbo replied, "He's strong and he would not show Bolg fear."

"And we will not show Bolg any mercy. I think I may have an idea."

Fíli walked to the side of the cave, both of his swords in his hands. Bilbo watched in confusion as Fíli studied the rock before embedding the tip of his sword in the crack between the rocks. After testing the strength, he stepped onto the wall and placed his other sword. Checking the sturdiness of that, he turned to Bilbo and asked, "You coming?"

His question pulled Bilbo from his stupor as he ran towards the dwarf and wrapped his arms around the dwarf's neck.

"Hang on," Fíli muttered as he then pulled out his left sword and found another crack. As they got further and further up the wall, Bilbo could hear Fíli's grunts in pain.

"Are you sure you can…?"

"I'm fine," he growled as he planted his sword in another hole. Every time Fíli made a placement, Bilbo feared that either rock, sword or dwarf could not hold both of their weight, but when they reached the entrance to the hole they had entered that cavern from, Bilbo sighed in relief.

"Do you see anything you can grab?" Fíli asked.

Bilbo's eyes strained to see in the dark, but eventually he found a little lip he could reach. Although the fear of falling was nagging at his mind, he reached and breathed a sigh in relief when his fingers grabbed hold of the ledge. He managed to pull himself up just as Fíli used his swords a few more times to get up to Bilbo's height. Soon they were back to back, using the other as a counter while their feet were on the wall. Fíli looped his arms with Bilbo and said, "When I saw, step up with your left while you lean into me."

"I'm not sure this is going to work…"

"Don't worry, Bilbo, Kíli and I use to do this back in Ered Luin when we were dwarflings."

"Yes, but were you this high off the ground and hurt from falling off a cliff beforehand?"

Bilbo could feel Fíli's shoulders shudder with a silent laugh. "Trust me, Bilbo. This will work. Now, step!"

The first few steps were difficult as they tried to time each other's movements, eventually getting the hang of it. They got quicker and quicker and seemed to be speeding up the tunnel.

That was, of course, until Bilbo's foot landed on a loose rock and his foot slipped. It was a good thing he was leaning onto Fíli and his other foot was secure on the wall, otherwise both he and the prince would have found themselves in that lake below once more.

"Are you alright?" Fíli asked.

Before Bilbo could respond there was the echo of a malicious growl that resonated beneath them. Both Fíli and Bilbo looked down, trying to see what made that noise but could not see anything in the darkness.

"We should probably move," Fíli suggested.

Bilbo nodded furiously as they stepped quicker and quicker.

As they began to see the end of the tunnel a large tentacle shot up and wrapped itself around Bilbo's leg, pulling him down. Losing the counterweight, Fíli slipped, his right hand managing to grab a rock sticking out as he hung from the rock. Attached to his legs was Bilbo, who was being pulled by the beast below.

"Bilbo, hang on!" Fíli called.

Using his left hand he managed to grab the knife in his right bracer. His right shoulder was searing in pain from the weight on it and his left hand could barely grasp the hilt of the dagger, but there was no way he and Bilbo were going to be eaten by whatever lay beneath the mountain.

"Catch!"

Fíli let go of the knife and watched as Bilbo reached out with his left hand and caught the knife. Once in his hand he reached down and cut the tentacle that wrapped around his ankles. The monster howled in pain as it retraced down the tunnel.

"You alright?" Fíli asked.

Bilbo nodded. When a roar echoed up the tunnel, Bilbo looked back down. "I think we made it angrier."

As much as it pained him, Fíli swung his legs so Bilbo could reach out and plant his feet. Quickly they wrapped their arms as the sound of something slithering up the tunnel began to grow louder.

"MOVE!"

Their paces were quick as they ascended. Just as they reached the top and exited the tunnel four tentacles reached out for them. Fíli grabbed one of his swords and swung at a tentacle, slicing it from its limb as another wrapped around his wrist. Before he could be dragged back down, Bilbo lashed out with Fíli's knife and freed the prince.

Once freed, both ran away from the tunnel, leaving the monster below to cry out in a missed meal. Only far enough away they stopped, falling against the wall and panting.

"I cannot wait to get out of these caves," Bilbo heaved between breaths.

Fíli nodded before standing up and replacing his sword. "Come on, we got to find Kíli."

 **TBC...**  


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

It took Bilbo a moment but soon he got his bearings and was able to lead Fíli through the caves towards the place he had seen Kíli.

While Bilbo focused on where they were going, Fíli's mind could only worry about the state of his little brother. He just hoped they arrived in time.

After a while, Bilbo began to wonder if he took a wrong turn somewhere, until the distorted echo of voices put his mind at ease, somewhat.

It was difficult to make out the source of the voices but as they drew nearer, they became more clear and distinctive.

When Fíli recognized the sound of his brother, he felt a pain in his heart. His voice sounded so weak, so fragile. What had happened to him?

They reached a corner where the voices were clear as night, peering around and Fíli's knees threatened to fall out from under him. He could see Kíli, curled on the ground, red streams running down his skin and staining his clothes. The sleeves of his tunic were burned away, revealing blisters and burns. From where he stood, he could see a few of Kíli's fingers bent at unnatural angles.

Fíli wanted to call out this his brother, to tell him he was here, but his voice was constricted. Bolg came into view, a sinister smile on his face. "Are you ready to talk, _glob?"_

 _"Imrid amrad ursul,"_ Kíli growled back.

Bolg connected his foot with Kíli's abdomen, and Fíli lurched forward but was held back by Bilbo. "No!"

"What are you doing? We have to save him!"

"I know, but you can't go rushing in! You'll get both of you killed!"

"I do not care, that is my brother!"

"Fíli, we need a plan…"

"We don't need a plan. We need to go in there and save Kíli!"

"I know you're worried but if we just go in there…"

"Quiet, you! You know nothing of this! What plan could you possibly come up with that will work?"

Bilbo was stunned by the hurtful words of the dwarf. There was something dark in Fíli's eyes that he hadn't seen for some time now.

"I know nothing of this? Alright, then I guess all the plans I came up with before to save your skin couldn't possibly prepare me for this. It's not like I rescued you from the spiders of Mirkwood, from Thranduil's dungeons, from the bandits in the mountains, from the Orcs we saw in Mirkwood on the way here. No, I couldn't possibly know anything about rescuing someone!"

Bilbo took a deep breath to even his breathing before he continued. "I know you're worried about Kíli but rushing in like you normally do will get both of you killed so unless you have a death wish you should listen to what I have to say."

It seemed that his words had finally made it through to Fíli. "I am sorry, Bilbo. I do not know what came over me. I owe you my life many times over."

"Water under the bridge, my friend. Now, I think I may have an idea…"

* * *

Kíli wanted to die. His body was in so much pain. Every breath, every thought hurt. He couldn't last any longer under Bolg's torture. For the first time since his capture, he prayed that Fíli had perished from his fall off the mountain so that when Bolg eventually did kill him, he would find Fíli waiting at the Hall of Mandos for him so that they may pass on together.

"I will ask you one last time, where is the Slayer of Azog?"

Although his breathing was hitched, he managed to say with a confident voice, "I am the Slayer of Azog."

He waited for the blow to come. He even saw the twitch in Bolg's muscles but when it didn't come, he looked up. Bolg was no longer leering down at him. Instead his attention was focused on something approaching from the left.

When Kíli turned, his face blanched. It was Bilbo, walking towards them with his hands raised. "Please, don't kill me."

Orcs rushed Bilbo, their weapons held out as they threatened to spear the poor Hobbit.

"What are you?" Bolg asked.

"I am Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. I was traveling with this dwarf and another to my homeland."

"You traveled with the Slayer of Azog?"

Bilbo nodded.

"Where is he?"

Bilbo looked to Kíli. Kíli pleaded with his eyes for Bilbo to run, to save himself.

With a sigh, Bilbo replied, "If you wish to know, you will have to follow me. I can show you where he is."

Bolg sneered before turning to Kíli. "It seems your companion is not as loyal as you dwarves."

Bolg turned to a few Orcs and gave them orders in the Black Tongue before turning to Bilbo. "Show me."

Bilbo swallowed his nerves before turning around and walking off down the tunnel he came from, Bolg and a few Orcs following behind. Two of the creatures stayed with Kíli, their eyes watching him closely. Kíli closed his eyes and wished for death to take him for surely if Bolg found Fíli alive, they stood no chance.

Suddenly one of the Orcs squealed, followed quickly by a thud. Kíli opened his eyes to see one Orc on the ground and the other pulling out a knife that had speared his chest. Kíli recognized the knife and the flash of gold that leapt over him before slicing the Orc's neck. At first he thought he was hallucinating. Perhaps this was all in his head. But when two familiar arms pulled him into a hug, he knew it was real.

"Kee," Fíli cooed in his ear.

Kíli smiled as he nuzzled his face into his brother's shoulder. As they pulled away Fíli undid the bonds binding Kíli's hands together.

"You survived?" Kíli asked as he took in his brother's appearance.

"Apparently so. Can you walk?"

Fíli helped his brother to his feet. Kíli's legs felt weak beneath him as he tried to stand. He had to lean into his brother for support otherwise he would fall. Kíli didn't need to answer. "Put most of your weight on me. We're going to get you out of here."

"What about Bilbo?"

"Don't worry, we have a plan."

They were slow as they moved through the caves, and Fíli wasn't exactly sure where they were going. As long as they were headed away from the Orcs he was fine.

Suddenly they could hear Orc chatter before one shouted, "FIND THEM! BRING THEM TO ME!"

Fíli and Kíli's faces instantly fell. Someone had noticed their disappearance. Fíli adjusted his brother's weight before quickening their pace.

They had barely made it a few steps before three Orcs appeared behind them. "GET THEM!"

"Kíli, run!"

Fíli pushed Kíli forward as he pulled out his swords. The silver metal glistened as they slashed, battling the Orcs that threatened to take his brother away. They would never lay a single hand on Kíli again, not while he was still breathing.

Once the Orcs were slain, Fíli put one of his swords away and grabbed Kíli by the arm, careful to avoid the burns before dragging him through the tunnels. Their run was slow, Kíli having been weakened by the torture inflicted upon him and Fíli still wounded from his fall.

They could hear footsteps getting closer. "They're catching up," Kíli muttered.

Suddenly Kíli wrenched his arm from Fíli's grip and stop. "Kee, what are you…?"

"Go, Fíli. Save yourself."

"Don't be stupid Kíli, I'm not going anywhere without you!"

"I'm only slowing you down, just go!"

Fíli approached his brother and grabbed his shoulders. "Either we get out of here together or we don't. I am not leaving you, Kíli. I promised I would protect you, no matter what. Now come on!"

Fíli grabbed Kíli once more and began to drag him through the tunnels. They could hear the Orcs closing in on them. All hope seemed lost until Fíli felt a soft breeze and the warmth of the rays of the sun as it fell on his shoulder. He turned and he smiled as he saw a way out of the caves; Kíli saw it too, hope filling him once more.

Energy surged through them as they made a desperate run towards the exit. When they finally hit the outside world, they ducked into some bushes and waited. None of the Orcs appeared. It seemed they had lost them in the mountains.

Only when the brothers were sure they were in the clear, they emerged from the bushes. In the light, the brothers were finally able to see the wounds the other had suffered.

Fíli was drenched from head to toe, covered in dirt and grime. Pieces of his clothing were torn and cuts littered his body. His left wrist was swollen to twice its normal size and he seemed to be favoring his left side. The wound he had suffered in the plains was bleeding freely, dripping off the ends of his fingertips.

Kíli looked worse. There wasn't a spot on him that didn't seem to be hurt. His tunic was in tatters, torn to reveal lashes. His arms were burned, the blisters having opened and the fresh air began to sting the exposed skin. His right hand cradled his left, where three of the five fingers were clearly broken. A long cut ran down his cheek and a small nick on his neck was bleeding. His face was sickly pale.

"Oh Kíli…"

Fíli couldn't stop himself from embracing his brother. This had happened because of him. Guilt flared through him as he held him.

"Where's Bilbo?" Kíli asked.

Fíli looked around. Indeed their Hobbit was nowhere to be found. They both turned back to the entrance to the mountains.

"Do you think he's still…?" Kíli asked.

"I don't know, but there's only one way to find out. Find cover and wait for me. If I'm not back before the sun falls…"

"No, you can't go in there alone! What if Bolg catches you?"

"I am not leaving our Burglar to die in there!"

As Fíli began to walk towards the caves, a familiar squeak behind them shouted, "Wait!"

They both turned and sighed in relief when they saw Bilbo climbing down from a tree. His clothes were slightly torn and his face seemed to be covered in dirt, but it was still their Bilbo. "Oh thank heavens you two found your way out! I was just about to go in there and find you myself."

"How did you lose Bolg?" Fíli asked.

"It wasn't easy. I'm glad I'm small and can fit into tight spaces. It would have been easier if I had my ring."

"Where did it go?" Kíli asked.

"I lost it in the mountains. It fell off a cliff. It's a shame; I was quite fond of that ring. Now it's lost forever."

Fíli's hand went to his pocket where he was holding the ring.

"Not quite," he muttered, pulling it out.

Bilbo and Kíli watched as he removed the golden band from his pocket. "Well I'll be... you found it!" Bilbo smiled as he took a step forward to grab it.

The moment he did, Fíli instantly retracted, holding the ring close to his chest. "Fíli, what are you…?"

"Why should I give it to you? You lost it."

A dark voice began to fill his thoughts. He had found it. It was his now.

"Fíli, can I please have my ring back?" Bilbo asked.

"Why? Do you think you are more deserving of it than me? What makes you better than I?"

"What has gotten into you?" Kíli asked.

Bilbo held out his hand as he took a step forward. "Fíli, please…"

"No!" Suddenly Fíli pulled out his sword and pointed it at Bilbo. Both Bilbo and Kíli froze, unable to comprehend what was going on. "The ring is _mine_ now and anyone who tries to take it from me will not succeed."

Fíli took a step forward, forcing Bilbo to step back. He continued to do this until Bilbo was corned against the trunk of the tree, the tip of Fíli's sword touching his neck. "You have no right to call it yours."

Suddenly something collided with Fíli, forcing him to the ground. As he began to wrestle, two hands pinned his arms to the ground. Through his haze he was able to see Kíli. "Fíli, that is enough! Bilbo is our friend!"

"He is a traitor! He traded the Arkenstone to our enemies after EVERYTHING Thorin had done for him! He is NOTHING!"

"He did it to save us! What has gotten into you? This is not Fíli. This is not my brother!"

Fíli tried to struggle, but Kíli held him down harder. It hurt him to keep his brother still but he could not let Fíli harm Bilbo.

Fíli managed to free one of his arms and as he used his free hand to reach for a rock that was within his reach, something hard hit him across the face. After the blow, he looked to Kíli who held his right hand in a fist, having used it to hit his brother. It was as if something inside him had awoken. No longer was there anger in his eyes. He stared at Kíli in confusion. "Kíli?"

Slowly Kíli got off his brother, allowing Fíli to get to his feet. Once he did so, he looked at his companions. They both shared looks of fear as they stared at him. Fíli looked to his hand that still clenched onto the ring. It was the first time he was able to look at it in disgust; there was something dark about it and he wanted to fling it from his grasp.

Quickly he threw it to the ground at Bilbo's feet. "Bilbo, I am sorry, I do not know what came over me. Please, take it... keep it out of my sight."

Before anyone could say a word, Fíli turned and looked to the sky. "We should be heading out. We will make to Rivendell. Hopefully Elrond will give us aid."

And without another word, Fíli began to lead away from the mountains, the fear of what he had done flooding his thoughts.

TBC...

**Khuzdul translation -**

**Imrid amrad ursul - Burn in Hell**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

As they crossed the plains south towards the Misty Mountains, Bofur prayed that the lads hadn't been stupid enough to actually cross over Dimrill Dale. The horrors of those mines were well known by the dwarves. Bofur even remembered telling them as horror stories to both Fíli and Kíli when they were younger when they came to visit his shop. The boys were reckless and sometimes daft at the best of times, but they weren't stupid enough to go through that horrible place.

They trotted on, and Nori suddenly spotted something along the mountains. At first he thought his eyes were deceiving him but after a closer look, he came to a stop, surprise and hope flooding through him.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

Bifur and Bofur turned to see what Nori was staring at and when their eyes landed on it, they came to a standstill, Bofur's face lighting up. Before them was a passage through the mountains, one that was definitely _not_ Dimrill Dale with three ponies grazing in the grass around it.

"Well I'll be," Bofur muttered.

"Those are their ponies alright, or I'm an Elf's uncle."

"You couldn't possibly be an Elf's uncle. You're far too short and much more honorable than that lot."

Bofur and Nori laughed as they led Bifur over to the ponies. When they reached the path, they dismounted and began to pet them.

"I wonder why they left their ponies here," Nori muttered as he petted Daisy's mane.

"Path was probably too dangerous. Maybe we should leave ours here as well. I'm sure Beorn will find them and take care of them for us until we come back this way."

"Don't be stupid. If we are to ever catch up with them we are going to need all the speed we can get and we're not exactly as young neither as them nor as fast. You've seen how fast Bilbo can be when he's being chased!"

"We don't know how treacherous the path could be!"

"And we don't know how far ahead of us the lads are!"

"They can't be that far ahead. Knowing those two troublemakers they probably spend half the day asleep. They're not exactly the first risers."

"But Bolg is after them, remember? They're gonna quicken their pace so that the Orcs don't catch up with them."

As the two bickered and bantered, Bifur removed his supplies from his pony and began to follow the path. The moment he disappeared from view, Bofur said, "Thorin put me in charge of bringing the boys back, so that means I'm in charge of this journey so what I says goes and I say that we leave the ponies."

"You couldn't lead a dragon to gold."

"And you think you can do better?"

"I know I could."

Bofur began to laugh.

"What are you laughing about?"

"The idea of you leading something. You couldn't lead a dragon to gold either because you would have stolen the gold by then and the dragon would have caught you and you'd be nothing more than a pile of dust!"

As Bofur continued laughing, Nori jumped at him and soon the two dwarves began to wrestle on the ground. Their tustle only lasted a few moments before they realized something was missing.

"Hang on a moment, where's Bifur?" Bofur asked as looked around.

Nori and Bofur stood up and spun around, looking for their missing member until they realized that his packs were gone from his pony.

"When did he do that?" Nori asked.

Neither of them said anything as they hurriedly grabbed their gear and ran after their companion. Eventually they caught up to him and continued onward through the mountains.

The sun was high in the sky and the mountains were peaceful as they travelled. Why couldn't their trip through the High Pass be like this instead of the thunder battle they had to witness?

As the sun began to disappear they found a cavern to take shelter in. Bifur had disappeared again for reasons unknown to the other two.

They sat around the fire eating the concoction Bofur had created. As Nori took a sip of the watery soup, he grimaced and groan.

"What?" Bofur asked.

"I thought you said you could cook."

"I can cook."

"I don't know what you consider cooking but this isn't cooking. This is worse than Dori!"

"It's not that bad," Bofur said as he took a spoonful. He regretted his words, however, the moment it hit his tongue. As he spat it out, he replied, "Alright, that's bloody awful."

"Guess we're going hungry tonight."

As he said that Bifur returned with three conies on twine. Bofur and Nori watched him in confusion, wondering how the dwarf had known that they were going to need food and how in the world he managed to find three conies in the mountains.

**TBC..**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

After they had escaped the mountains, they found their travelling to take a lot longer than before. Part of it was due to that lack of ponies, but mostly it was because of Kíli. The torture Bolg had inflicted on him had done a lot of damage and Fíli was afraid to make it worse. He, too, was in a lot of pain and he was sure that it wasn't a good sign that the cut on his left arm was continuously bleeding, but he played it off as nothing. He was more worried about finding help for his brother.

Fíli could handle the stiffness in his joints and the pain from his fall. He could not, however, handle the mental pain that would come if he lost his brother.

Since the event with Bilbo, Fíli did his best to stay as far away from him as he could. Every time the hobbit drew near, that dark feeling began to grow inside him. Afraid of what he would do, Fíli would make a sudden excuse to get away from him. He felt sorry for Bilbo, for every time Fíli went to get away from him, he could see the worry and pain in Bilbo's face. He wished he could explain but he didn't think their friend would understand.

Kíli noticed it too. It wasn't like Fíli was being subtle about it. Kíli even called him it out on their fourth day from leaving the mountains.

Fíli had been busy sharpening his knife when Kíli limped over to sit next to him, reaching out his hand to roll up Fíli's left sleeve. The moment he felt his brother's hand on him, he flinched away and asked, "What are you…?"

"You're arm hasn't stopped bleeding. Let me at least take a look at it."

"It's fine."

Fíli inched away a little, continuing to sharpen his knife as he continued, "You shouldn't even be up, anyway. You need your rest."

"As do you. I wasn't the only one who was hurt in the mountains."

"Yes, but my wounds are not nearly as bad as yours. Go get some sleep, Kíli."

"Not until you tell me what is bothering you."

"Nothing is bothering me."

Fíli found his knife and the piece of metal he was using to sharpen it with taken from his hands. When he looked up, he saw that Kíli was now sitting in front of him and was the one who had taken his activity away from him.

"You can't lie to me, brother. We've known each other for far too long. You've hardly said a word since we've left the mountains, you haven't slept, you won't take care of yourself and you are intentionally avoiding Bilbo. So, out with it."

Fíli sighed, his blue eyes looking down at the ground at his feet. "It's coming back, Kee."

"What is?"

"The darkness. I feel it every time Bilbo comes near. I don't know what it is…"

"I think I do."

Fíli looked up to his brother's brown eyes. "You do?"

Kíli nodded. "That ring he carries... there's something about it. I can't quite place my finger on it, but it does not sit well with me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Ever since we left the mountains, I've heard this voice that blames people for all the bad things that have happened. It blames you for all of the trouble's we've faced on this journey."

"Well, it's not wrong."

"But it is." Kíli took his brother's hands in his and said, "It is not your fault. None of it. You didn't make the Goblins attack us in the mountains. You didn't make Bolg question me. You didn't make me lie to him to keep you safe."

"I failed you, Kíli. I let the Goblins take you."

"You fell off a cliff. I think that's a good excuse, if any."

The brothers shared a cold laugh. Once it died down, Fíli asked, "So, this voice... does it put dark thoughts into your head as well?"

Kíli shook his head.

"You are much stronger than me,  _nadadith_."

"No, I'm just more stubborn."

"I won't argue that," Fíli replied as he gave Kíli a small smile. "Go to sleep, Kee, you need your rest."

Kíli nodded. "Just make sure you wake me for my watch. You look like you're about ready to fall over."

Fíli nodded as well, watching his brother go to his bedroll. Once he left, Fíli watched the fire as it danced in the darkness.

He pondered what Kíli had told him. That dark voice his brother was hearing... it was right. Fíli was supposed to be protecting Bilbo and his brother and so far he had done a terrible job. If he wasn't on this journey, Bolg wouldn't be chasing them; Kíli wouldn't have been tortured. How could Kíli think none of this was his fault? He needed to protect his brother but… how?

* * *

That next day when they stopped to eat, Fíli approached the spot where Bilbo and Kíli sat. As he drew near, he could feel the darkness creeping over him. He took a deep breath and began to ignore it as he said, "I have something I would like to say."

Bilbo and Kíli looked up to him with confusion. "I have decided that once we reach Rivendell and we have fully recovered from the mountains that I will no longer be able to continue."

"What?!"

The shock in both Bilbo and Kíli's voice had made Fíli jump. He knew they weren't going to be overly fond of the idea but he wasn't expecting such a dynamic reaction.

"Are you daft? We need you!" Kíli said.

"No, you don't. Bolg is after me, not you or Bilbo. I swore to keep you both safe. I swore to you Bilbo, that I would see you safely home and I intend to keep that promise, but there is something about that ring of yours. I don't know what your ring is, Bilbo, but it affects me; it puts dark thoughts into my head. I almost killed you because of it. If I want to keep my promise, I cannot be around that thing. You are far safer away from me. Once we reach Rivendell I will lead Bolg away so that you may reach the Shire without any further problems."

"You don't have to leave, Fíli. If it really bothers you so, I can get rid of it. I'll throw it into a river or bury it…"

"No, Bilbo, there is a power around that ring and I fear that if the wrong person were to find it, nothing good would come of it."

Kíli took a tentative step forward. "Fíli…"

"That's my final say in the matter."

The hurt look in his brother's eyes made his heart ache. Fíli knew what he was saying. He knew that he was forcing Kíli to willingly separate from him but so long as he was around, he was putting his brother and their dear friend at risk. He couldn't do that to them anymore than he already had. Before they could argue anymore Fíli turned and walked away, fighting the urge to break down.

* * *

Bilbo couldn't help but notice that the Durin boys were deteriorating much more quickly. Kíli could barely go for an hour without resting and Fíli's left arm looked much heavier than it had before. Their wounds were finally catching up with them and Bilbo began to fear that they weren't going to make it to Rivendell.

They stopped to allow Kíli a rest when Kíli completely collapsed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

"Kíli!"

Fíli quickly dropped next to his brother, cradling him in his arms as he begged and pleaded for his brother to wake up. Bilbo looked around worriedly. What were they to do? Fíli couldn't carry his brother, no matter how stubborn he was and Bilbo was not exactly strong. Perhaps he could run forward and hopefully run into someone that could help but he was afraid to leave them alone, what with Bolg after them and Fíli being too weak to protect himself and his brother. Bilbo's heart hammered against his chest. What were they going to do?

There was a rustle in the bushes to their West. Fíli was more focused on his brother to pay much heed to it. Bilbo pulled out Sting and was relieved to see that it was not glowing. Whatever it was, it wasn't an Orc or Goblin. He nearly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw two Elves emerge, their bows drawn. Their appearance was completely identical, probably brothers. Their brown eyes first looked upon Bilbo in wonder before falling on the wounded dwarves.

All Bilbo could say was, "Please, will you help us?"

One of the brothers approached Fíli and knelt in front of him, taking Kíli up in his arms.

"Take your filthy Elvish hands off him!" Fíli snapped, standing up to attack.

Before he could do so the other grabbed him and pinned his arms to his sides. Fíli struggled but his wounds made it difficult to be effective. His vision became blurry as he watched the Elf place his brother on a white stallion. His legs gave out from under him as he fell, the world spinning violently before everything went black.

**TBC...**


	19. Chapter 19

Fíli wasn't sure what it was that finally roused him from his slumber.

Perhaps it was the orange tint of the sun as it lit up the room he slept in. Or maybe it was the soft cotton that he laid upon. More than likely it was the sense of worry about his brother for when he finally opened his eyes he nearly shot up, looking around and calling out, "Kíli!"

The moment Fíli sat upright, he felt a sudden pain shoot up through his abdomen. Of course, he had broken a few of his ribs. He wouldn't be able to move as quickly as before.

His sudden waking had caught the attention of Bilbo, who sat by his bedside smoking his pipe. "Fíli, you're awake!"

Bilbo was up out of his seat in an instant, reaching out to Fíli to help him lay back down so as to ease the pain in his ribs. "You should be resting. You were near death when Elladan and Elrohir found us."

"Where's Kíli?" Fíli asked as he grimaced in pain.

"He is alive, if that's what you mean. Elrond took him to the Healing Rooms after we arrived."

"Then why aren't we there?"

Fíli tried to sit up again when he felt Bilbo gently push him back onto the bed. "Oh no, you're not going anywhere. You need your rest just as Kíli does. Elrond said you're lucky that fall didn't kill you and that you hadn't passed out sooner from that wound on your arm. You lost a lot of blood and that water we fell in wasn't exactly clean."

"I am fine. Kíli needs me."

"Kíli needs you to get better."

"I need to see Kíli!"

There was a hint of anger in Fíli's voice which caused Bilbo to back off just a little. When Fíli saw him flinch, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Bilbo wasn't sure how to respond. In all honesty, if Bilbo was in Fíli's position he too would try to go to his brother but nowadays it was difficult to tell whether the anger Fíli expressed was from his sense of duty to his brother or the influence of the ring.

Bilbo gently laid his hand on Fíli's shoulder. "If Kíli were here he would tell you to stop being stubborn and to worry about yourself for once."

Fíli smirked. "Aye, he would."

A slight irritation became evident in Fíli's throat and to relieve it he coughed. However instead of the cough being brief it turned into a fit.

"Oh dear, are you alright? Is it your chest because Elrond said you had quite a few injuries there?"

"It's nothing, Bilbo, just a dry throat."

"Oh, do you need some water? I'll go fetch you some."

Bilbo was out of the room in a flash, wondering where he could find some water for the poor prince.

He must have checked several rooms before he ran into two elves who were enjoying a peaceful conversation. "Excuse me, do you know where I could find a pitcher of water? My friend needs it."

"The prince Fíli?"

Bilbo nodded. One of the elves turned and walked down the hall before entering the last room on the left. Rather quickly he returned carrying a pitcher. Bilbo thanked him before rushing back towards Fíli's room, struggling to hold onto the pitcher that was meant to be carried by people with bigger hands and statures. As he rushed in, he said, "Here we are, let me just grab you a…"

But when Bilbo turned to the bed he saw that Fíli was gone. Bilbo froze to the spot, simply staring at the bed for a few moments before turning his head and looking around the room. When he was fully aware that Fíli was no longer in the room at all, he turned back to the bed and simply stated, "Ah."

* * *

It had taken some doing and a lot of will to not succumb to the pain he felt as he wound his way through Rivendell towards the Healing Rooms.

Eventually he made it and found the room where his brother was resting.

Kíli looked so peaceful in the bed. His torn and bloodied garments had been discarded and he now lay in light blue and brown trousers that seemed to have been tailored to his size. It was then that Fíli noticed that he, too, was no longer in his normal clothes and was now in an off white tunic and brown trousers made of soft cotton. Walking barefoot had been interesting and he wondered how Bilbo managed the entire quest with his Hobbit feet. He recalled Kíli asking Bilbo about his feet and remembered how Bilbo explained that Hobbit feet were hardened and used to it by now.

Fíli smiled at the memory. Kíli had only asked because he had been caught poking Bilbo's foot with a stick after their encounter with the trolls. Life had been so much simpler then.

Fíli could feel his legs beginning to struggle to hold him upright so he scrambled into a chair that sat beside his brother's bed. Once comfortable, he cupped his brother's hands in his, running his thumb along his brother's knuckles.

"It's alright Kee, I'm here," he whispered.

Even though Kíli looked peaceful in his slumber, Fíli could tell that his brother could still feel the pain of his injuries. Fíli's eyes ran up and down his brother's body, finally landing on the bandages wrapped around his brother's forearms.

"It's all my fault, isn't it? It's my fault you are laying here. I should have been there to protect you. I shouldn't have let those goblins take you in the mountains. I know you told me that it wasn't back in the forest but... Mahal, Kíli, look at you. I promised you that I would keep you safe. I promised you I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you and now look. You nearly died and I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry, Kíli. I'm so, so sorry."

Fíli wasn't sure when the tears began to form during his apology but by the end of it, small droplets stained the sheets of Kíli's bed.

Fíli didn't go to wipe them away; he let them fall. For the first time since he was a Dwarfling, he allowed himself to cry.

There was a soft knock on the door. At first, Fíli thought it was Bilbo but when he turned around he saw a young boy, no more than eleven, standing in the door holding a pitcher of water.

"Why are you crying?" the boy asked as he set the pitcher down on the table.

Quickly Fíli wiped the tears away. "Because I am worried."

"But Lord Elrond healed him, didn't he?" the boy questioned, coming so he was standing next to Fíli.

With a nod, Fíli replied, "Aye, he did."

It was then that he noticed the boy did not have the pointy ears of the Elves. "You're human, aren't you?"

The boy nodded.

"What's your name?" Fíli asked.

"Estel."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Estel. I'm…"

"I know who you are. I saw you when they brought you here. Is it true? Did you really kill a dragon?"

Fíli smiled. "Actually, that was a brave man by the name of Bard. You see Estel, a dragon can only be killed by a Black Arrow fired from a windlass because a Black Arrow is the only thing hard enough to pierce the hide of a dragon. But between you and me, the dragon wasn't the scariest thing I saw. You see, there was this journey, and it all started in a hole in the ground where a poor little Hobbit lived in peace before thirteen dwarves showed up on his doorstep..."

And soon Fíli found himself telling young Estel a story. A story of a journey that thirteen dwarves, one wizard and one Hobbit took to reclaim a homeland that had long been lost to a dragon.

TBC...


	20. Chapter 20

Eventually the three dwarves had made it out of the mountains, only they had a slight problem.

They were running out of supplies.

They found out this horrible truth as they made camp for the night. Bifur had already started a roaring fire and was busy tinkering with a toy project he had designed using resources he found in the mountains. Nori was rummaging through the packs looking for something to eat while Bofur was happily smoking his pipe. Nori's movements became more frenzied and erratic until they ceased altogether before he fell back, a look of shock on his face. Bofur paused from his pipe and asked, "What's wrong?"

"We're almost out of food."

"What? No, that can't be possible," Bofur muttered, moving so he could see for himself.

It seemed, however, that Nori was right. All that was left in the bag of provisions was some dried up berries, some bread and dried meat. Nothing substantial and nothing that was going to last a journey home. "How could we be running out of food already?"

"We didn't expect to be going so far West."

"Who's bright idea was that?"

"Yours."

Bofur shut his mouth instantly, remembering that he did, indeed, say they would find the lads in no time. As they sat and pondered about their options something caught Bifur's attention. Slowly he stood up, placing his project down on the ground gently before walking off towards whatever was making the sound that somehow the other two dwarves had not heard. As he got closer he could hear the unmistakable crackle of a fire and the voices of Men. When he got close enough to the source, his eyes caught sight of a group of four men who sat around a fire, their faces white as if they had seen a ghost. "I don't think we should stay here for the night. Don't seem right," one of the muttered.

"This spot is fine. No way could that curse spread to the opposite side of the mountains."

"We don't know that!"

Bifur quickly raced back to the camp. It seemed that the others hadn't noticed his disappearance. When he burst back into the camp his words were so frantic and quick that they jumbled together and not even he could understand what he was saying. Bofur looked at him quizzically as Nori asked, "Wait what are you saying?"

"I think he just told us there is a group of Elf-eating squirrels heading this way."

"If that's the case I say we lead them straight to Mirkwood. Let them deal with the Elven King."

Instead of repeating himself he grabbed Bofur by his scarf and pulled him away, Nori following close behind so that he wasn't left alone by himself. When they got near Bifur simply pointed. Bofur and Nori looked in that direction and their faces paled. "Are those bandits?" Bofur asked.

Nori squinted so that he could focus more. "Aye. It's a good thing Bifur found them. They look the type not to play nice."

"We should get moving then."

Bofur went to leave when Nori grabbed him by the arm. "Wait just a moment, this may be the very thing we need."

"What?"

"Thing about it, we need provisions and they have provisions."

"We can't just steal, Nori. Just because you're a thief doesn't mean the rest of us are."

"They're bandits, Bofur. They probably stole those provisions. We'd be simply taking what has already been stolen. Punishing them for their actions."

Before Bofur could argue anymore, Nori whispered, "Follow my lead."

Nori was up in an instant, cautiously stalking towards the bandits. The small group did not seem to notice the strange arrival of the dwarf, their focus more on the food cooking on the spit. Nori first arrived at the bags that had been thrown aside, rummaging through them to find anything useful. He looked over his shoulder at Bifur and Bofur and ushered them to come over and help. At first Bofur didn't move but when he saw his cousin stumble forward, he followed suit. Once they reached Nori the thief thrust two of the bags into their arms. Once secured he turned and looked at the men. "No, we got more than enough, let's go," Bofur hissed, figuring out what Nori was about to do.

"It will only take a moment."

"Nori!"

But Nori was already stalking his prey, his fingers dancing as they loosened the joints for easy pickings. His hand glided skillfully into one pocket and emerged with a small pouch of coins. He managed it a few more times until something grabbed his hand. Nori turned to see it was Bofur who had handed his sack of food off to Bifur. "Nori, that's enough."

"It will only be a minute."

"We need to go if we want to catch up with the lads."

"One minute is not going to make a difference."

Nori tried to yank his arm free but Bofur was having none of it. Without thinking Nori grabbed Bofur's arm and swung him free and into one of the bandits. The bandits were on their feet in an instant, their daggers drawn but when they saw the two dwarves their faces paled. "Dwarves!" one shrieked in fear.

There was a rustle from the bushes and suddenly Bifur appeared, having rushed back to the camp to drop off the provisions and returning to carry more. When the bandits saw the Orc axe embedded in his head and the wild look on Bifur's face that was normally their, their knives clattered to the ground. "It's the spirit! RUN!"

Nori and Bofur stood dumbfounded as they watched the bandits race away from the camp, leaving everything behind. As they disappeared, Bofur muttered, "Well that was unusual."

Nori stepped forward and picked up the discarded daggers. "I might have to drag Bifur along with me on my other jobs."

When he turned and saw the disapproving look on Bofur's face, he quickly added, "Only joking. Now come on, let's pack up the rest of what they left. Don't want to let it go to waste."

TBC...


	21. Chapter 21

It had been three days and still Kíli had not woken from his slumber.

In that same span of time, Fíli had disappeared completely.

No one had seen or heard from the golden haired prince ever since he had slipped away from Bilbo's watch. Bilbo was actually surprised that he was not by his brother's bedside. He recalled the moment that Kíli had been shot with that arrow while they were escaping from Mirkwood how Fíli never left Kíli's side. How he had stood up to his uncle when Thorin told Kíli to stay behind in Lake-town. To see Kíli recovering with his brother nowhere to be found worried Bilbo to no end.

As usual he sat by Kíli's bedside, his pipe lit as he let the pipeweed settle his nerves. How could things have gone so wrong? Surely something good was waiting around the corner. Perhaps soon the youngest Durin would waken from his slumber and they would find Fíli and finish their journey to the Shire with no more problems.

Never before had perhaps been a more hopeful word.

Bilbo was sure he had seen Kíli's finger twitch but when no more movement came he played it off as a trick of the eye. He had just inhaled when Kíli's voice said in a raspy tone, "And here I thought we lost all of our pipeweed in the mountains."

Bilbo nearly toppled out of his chair from shock. After correcting himself he looked to see Kíli slowly opening his brown eyes. When they landed on the Hobbit, the dwarf smiled before looking around. "Where are we?"

"Rivendell. We've been here almost a week now."

"A week?"

Bilbo nodded. Slowly Kíli pushed himself upright, his body stiff and in pain. He immediately noticed a certain absense in the room. "Where is Fíli?"

Bilbo hesitated. How was he supposed to tell Kíli that his brother was nowhere to be found? That instead of staying by his bedside he had disappeared to who knows where. The sudden silence from the Hobbit had created panic in Kíli's heart. "Where is he, Bilbo?"

"Well, you see…"

Kíli felt his heart fall. It couldn't be true. "Mahal, no. It can't be."

His right hand went to his chest, clutching the fabric over his heart. "I'm sorry, Kíli…"

"When?"

"Sorry?"

"When?!"

Bilbo shrugged his shoulders. "No one knows. Three days ago, maybe…"

"How can no one know? Was no one there when it happened?! Did he leave alone?!"

"Well, you see, I went to fetch him some water and when I came back…"

Kíli swung his legs off the bed and immediately stood up. When he took a step, however, his leg buckled. Bilbo rushed to his side. "Where are you going?"

"I have to see him. I have to say…"

Bilbo could see the tears in Kíli's eyes, tears he refused to let fall. "You can't, Kíli…"

"Why not?! He's my brother!"

"Yes but we don't know where he is."

Kíli stopped and stared at the Hobbit in confusion. "You don't know where he is?"

Bilbo shook his head. Suddenly he felt himself being pushed onto the floor with an angry dwarf towering over him. "YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT MY BROTHER HAS BEEN DEAD FOR THREE DAYS AND NOT ONLY DID HE PASS ALONE WITH NO ONE BY HIS SIDE BUT THE ELVES LOST HIS BODY?!"

Bilbo stopped, confused by what had just happened. What did Kíli mean his brother was dead? It then hit him. Of course, Bilbo hadn't exactly told him where Fíli was and Kíli's mind had instantly gone to the worse case. "No, no, no, Kíli, you are mistaken…"

"I am most certainly not mistaken! These _rukhsul_ _fazul_ are…"

"Fíli is not dead!"

Kíli stopped his rage and stared at the Hobbit with a glimmer of hope. "What?"

"Fíli isn't dead."

"But…"

"He slipped past me after he woke up. I thought he came to see you but when I got here there was no one. Everyone has been searching all over but they haven't seen him."

At first Kíli felt a bit of relief. His brother was still amongst the land of the living. At least, so far as everyone knows. But he was missing. Hiding, no doubt. But why? With a calmer demeanor, Kíli helped Bilbo to his feet, ignoring the protests his body had from the pain. "I am sorry, Bilbo."

"It is quite alright, I should have made myself more clear."

Once Bilbo was back on his feet Kíli turned to walk back towards the door but nearly buckled once more. "Oh come now, Kíli, we need to get you back into bed."

"No, I have to go find Fíli. He could be hurt or worse…"

"I can assure you he is fine," came Elrond's voice from the door. Both dwarf and Hobbit turned and saw the lord walk in, helping Bilbo to get Kíli back into bed. "We have had sentries watching every entrance in and out of Rivendell and no one has seen your brother leave. We have every available Elf searching through the city. For now, you need to rest. You were on the verge of death when we found you."

"But Fíli…"

"Will be fine. Now rest."

Once Kíli was back in bed his eyelids grew droopy, his body tired from the energy he had just exerted. Once he slowly passed into a state of peace and serenity Elrond turned to Bilbo and said, "Make sure you stay by him. When he wakes up again call for my daughter, Arwen. She will come and see that he is taken care of."

Before he left, Bilbo asked, "You said he is fine, how do you know?"

Elrond simply turned and smiled at the Hobbit. "It is unwise, Master Baggins, to seek council with Elves for they will answer both yes and no."

Bilbo smiled at the memory as Elrond walked away 

If he had known where Elrond was going, he would have instantly followed, for when Elrond arrived in Kíli's room he had spotted a small shadow watching from a distance on a pathway above by one of the waterfalls.

* * *

Fíli continued to stand at the rail, his arms resting on the railing as he watched his brother's room. A small smile tugged at his lips for he could hear the conversation that had passed between Kíli and poor Bilbo. Oh how he wished he could have been by his brother's side when he woke. A guilty feeling was niggling at his conscious but he could not be there. For every time he saw the cuts, bruises and wounds his brother had endured at the hands of Bolg, Fíli instantly blamed himself. When he saw Elrond leave the room he dipped away from the railing. His brother was safe. His brother was alive.

Tonight, Fíli would ensure that he stayed that way.

As the sun began to sit on the horizon Fíli snuck back into the room he had woken from and packed his bags. The plan was simple. He was going to sneak out of Rivendell unnoticed and lure Bolg away so that Kíli and Bilbo could make it safely to the Shire. He hated that he would not be able to say goodbye to them but he didn't think he could handle it. No, this was easier.

The weight of his pack and weapons were hard on his still recovering body but it did not matter. He could bear more if it meant he was protecting his brother.

Once the moon was high in the sky Fíli began to set out. He managed to make it through the city unnoticed. As he reached the gate he was sure he was going to make a clean getaway but a voice behind him stopped dead in his tracks. "Leaving so soon?"

TBC...

**Khuzdul translations:**

**rukhsul** **fazul – orcish goats**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Busted.

Fíli inwardly flinched, closing his blue eyes as he muttered a curse under his breath. He should have known he was not going to be able to make it out of the city without Elrond noticing. “I do not think either of your companions would appreciate you leaving without so much as a word of your departure.”

“They would try to stop me if I told them good-bye.”

“Perhaps it is best if they did. You are still healing, as is your brother. You require as much rest as he does.”

“I can manage. Besides,” he paused, taking a deep breath he as he looked back towards the path, keeping his back to the Elf Lord so that he could not see the sadness in his eyes. “It has to be done.”

“I don’t believe your brother would agree with that.”

“He might not but it’s for his own safety and that of our burglar.”

Fíli felt Elrond’s hand being placed on his uninjured shoulder. Elrond applied slight pressure, pushing him away from the path and back towards Rivendell. “Somehow I do not believe you, Master Fíli.”

Elrond had guided the young dwarf prince towards one of the many balconies that overlooked the city. The soft mist from the waterfall felt cool and peaceful against Fíli’s face as he leant against the balcony. He rested his chin on the cool stone of the railing, his eyes watching the area instead of the Elf who stood next to him. It was then that Fíli recognized the balcony they were standing on for as he looked into the valley he could see Kíli’s room.

His brother lay fast asleep in his bed with Bilbo sitting by his side, passed out in an uncomfortable position in the chair. “He’s mending quickly. In a few days time he should be well enough to travel again,” Elrond stated, noticing where Fíli’s gaze lingered.

“He wouldn’t have to be mending if not for me.”

“You speak as if you were the one to cause him harm.”

“I might as well have been. None of this would have happened if I was not traveling with them.”

Elrond’s eyesight was keen, as was the eyesight of his kin, but at this point in time he was completely sure that Fíli could see more. The way he tensed whenever Kíli shifted in his bed, they way he kept his gaze fixed as soft murmurs could be heard from the young healing dwarf. The bonds of brotherhood were stronger than anything else in their world. “Are you quite certain?”

“Would Bolg and his army be chasing them if not for me?” Fíli asked, casting his gaze to meet his. The sorrow in his eyes was foreign to Elrond but nonetheless he could tell it pained the prince more than any battle wound. “It is me that he wants, not them. As long as they are with me they are in danger.”

“And what do you hope to gain by leaving them?”

“I could lead Bolg away from them. Have him follow me instead of Kíli and Bilbo.”

“And you really think that will work?”

“What other choice do I have?”

Elrond could see the pleading look in the young dwarf’s eyes. “There is always a choice, Master Fíli. Most are not easy. As good as your intentions are, I do not believe they will work. Bolg knows you traveled with them. To leave them now could put them in greater harm in the future. He could still try to use them to get to you. Is that not what he did in the Misty Mountains?”

“Yes, but…”

“So would it not be wiser to protect them while you are still accompanying them?”

“I cannot!” There was such desperation in Fíli’s voice as his shouts echoed through the valley. The two stood in silence as the cries of the dwarf slowly died away. Once all was silent Fíli went back to watching his brother. “I cannot protect them when I’m around. There is a darkness within me, Lord Elrond. A darkness that makes it way to the surface, no matter how hard I try to suppress it. It’s taking me over. I drew a sword on Bilbo. I tried to kill my brother! How am I to protect them from Bolg when I can barely protect them from myself? No, they are safer without me.”

Fíli felt Elrond’s hand once again on his shoulder. When he looked up to the Elf he saw the he was leaning over so that their eyes could be met on an equal plane. “There is a darkness in all of us, Fíli, son of Dís. Whether we choose to act on those thoughts or not is what defines us.”

“I feel like I don’t have that choice. I try so hard to control it but it keeps getting worse. I feel angry all the time. How am I to make that choice when I have no control?”

“You have control. You doubt yourself too much.”

Fíli turned and looked back to his sleeping brother. “What do I do?”

“I cannot make that choice for you. Only you can make that choice.”

Fíli heaved a heavy sigh. “I do not think I can make that choice.”

“You wish to protect them?”

Fíli simply nodded. “Then your choice has already been made.”

* * *

 _"Did you hear that,_ gazat _? They found a yellow dwarf in the mountains.”_

_Kíli immediately tensed at Bolg’s words. Fíli. No, they couldn’t have him. Bolg could not lay his hands on Fíli._

_He would not allow it._

_When he was dragged back to his cell, he was kicking and screaming. “Don’t you DARE lay a finger on him! YOU HEAR ME_ URK SARGH! _”_

_There was a renewed strength that surged through him. Despite the protests and the blinding pain his body was in he managed to break away from the Goblins trapping him. He managed to pull his arms free of their grasps, snapping the neck of one. As soon as it fell dead Kíli grabbed the other Goblin’s arm and spun, trapping it’s arm behind it’s back before he slammed him to the ground and stamped on his neck. His body screamed in protest as he ran back towards Bolg. He would kill that creature if he so much as laid a finger on his brother._

_He stumbled around the corner, catching sight of the Orc. He did not care for a surprise attack. A warrior’s cry pierced the air as he charged. Before he even reached Bolg, however, Bolg had spun and grabbed Kíli by the throat, hoisting him into the air. Kíli clawed and scratched at the Orc’s arm, trying to escape his grasp. Eventually his foot collided with the Orc’s chest, catching Bolg off guard and casting him to the ground. Once Kíli hit the floor he pushed himself to his knees, his brown eyes glowing red as he looked at the Orc._

_As Bolg steadied himself from the unexpected blow Kíli ran again, this time managing to tackle him to the ground. He attempted to wrap his arms around the Orc’s neck, hoping to kill him before he could ever get a chance to touch his brother but his small hands were not big enough to completely wrap around the muscular neck. Bolg, on the other hand, had hands that were massive and he used them. With one he grabbed Kíli’s mane and wrenched It backwards, putting great tension on his neck. The other he used to push himself off the ground, getting back to his feet with Kíli still in his grasp. “You will pay for that,_ glob _.”_

_He threw Kíli to the ground like a rag doll, knocking the wind out of him. Before Kíli could even move Bolg was on him, pinning his arm behind him. “I wonder how much use an archer is without his hands?”_

_There was a loud crack that resonated, followed by Kíli’s screams in pain. Two more times he felt his bones crush beneath Bolg’s hands. After the third break Bolg leant in close. “When the other arrives, I will slowly break him in front of you, piece by piece and when he finally begs for death, I will give you the courtesy to die first.”_

_“That will not happen.”_

_“And what makes you think that?”_

_“Because you will be dead. That, I promise you.”_

_“I’d like to see you try.”_

_Kíli never saw the blade. He only knew it was there when he felt it pierce his hand._

Kíli bolted up in his bed, his chest heaving heavily as he fought to regain his breath. Instantly his good hand went to his bandaged hand, kneading at the wound gently. He had managed to tear part of his tunic in the cell to staunch the bleeding before and had done a good job of hiding it from Fíli when he found him. He just hoped that he would be able to use it like before.

After all, what was an archer without the use of their hands?

Kíli softly laid back down, trying to will himself to go back to sleep, but found he could not. He needed something that was not there.

He needed Fíli.

TBC…

**Khuzdul translation:**

**_Urk sargh_ – Orc filth**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Almost a week passes since Kíli had woken up.

He had been fit to leave for a few days but refused to. He would not leave without his brother. However, with each passing day, it became harder to make up an excuse to stay.

Eventually he and Bilbo decided it was time to move on.

As he finished packing his bag with all the provisions Elrond had given them, he continuously hoped that Fíli would appear and apologize for disappearing for so long. He wished he would walk through the door of his room and say everything was fine now and they could continue on.

When Kíli heard footsteps in the doorway he spun around with hope but his smile fell when he saw it was only Bilbo. "You ready then?" Bilbo asked, completely missing the sudden change in Kíli's facial expression.

Solemnly Kíli nodded before shouldering his pack and weapons. As they began to walk towards the entrance to the wild Kíli kept his eyes peeled. Perhaps Fíli was still hiding amongst the Elves and would surprise them at the last minute. As they approached the archway they saw Elrond waiting for them. "Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked.

"Yes, Mister Baggins, everything is fine. I just wanted to wish you safe travels."

Bilbo nodded a bow before leading the way. As Kíli passed the lord, he asked, "Where is Fíli?"

"He has made his choice."

Kíli looked dejectedly to the ground. It seemed Fíli had abandoned them like he said he would before they arrived in Rivendell. He couldn't believe it. He refused to believe that his brother would just leave without saying goodbye. He looked hopefully back at Rivendell, hoping against hope he would see Fíli bounding towards them. _"You weren't planning on leaving without me, were you?"_

But Fíli was nowhere to be found. With a saddened gaze he followed after Bilbo, following the Hobbit up the path.

Unbeknownst to them a shadow was lurking behind them, pearly blue eyes watching them from afar.

They traveled in silence, not sure what to say to one another. They were both thinking the same thing. They were both worrying about their missing travel companion. But what could be said to take their minds off it?

Their first night on the road both of them found it difficult to rest. Bilbo was pacing back and forth, his eyes watching the forest around them for any signs of anything. Kíli kept his gaze cast into the fire, watching the dancing flames lick the air about them. In the embers he could see younger versions of himself and Fíli running circles around their mother. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he recalled the memory.

He hated being separated from his brother. They rarely were away from one another. He remembered the first time he was away from Fíli for an extended period of time. When he recalled the reunion he couldn't help but chuckle. The little laugh caught Bilbo's attention. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Mr. Boggins. I just...I remembered something about the first time Fíli and I were separated."

Bilbo looked at him quizzically. Sensing the Hobbit's confusion, Kíli continued. "Dwalin was going on a hunting trip and wanted to take Fíli with him so he could practice his tracking skills. They were gone a week at most and the entire time they were away I would sit by the window watching the path they had taken. Thorin said I was the most ill-behaved Dwarfling at the time. I refused to go anywhere, thinking I would miss Fíli's return and when I wasn't watching the door I was amusing myself by giving my mother and Thorin grey hairs. When Fíli finally did get home he refused to let me out his sight for almost a month. I couldn't go anywhere without him following me. At one point in time I actually snuck out when Fíli had fallen asleep just so I could get away from him for a little bit but he woke up moments later and proclaimed I was missing and how I must have been stolen in the night. Thorin had all of Ered Luin looking for me."

Bilbo and Kíli shared a laugh, both of them imagining a young Fíli frantically running around a small town looking for his younger brother. "We've never been separated for long periods of time since...well, I guess that's not really the case anymore, is it?"

The happy moment had faded as Kíli prodded the fire with his stick. With a sad smile Bilbo placed a hand on Kíli's shoulder. "Get some rest, Kíli. I'll take first watch."

Kíli nodded before laying down in his bedroll. He tossed and turned, trying to find a way to get comfortable which was difficult seeing as how Fíli wasn't there but eventually he fell asleep. Bilbo heaved a sigh as he watched the forest around them.

* * *

Finally Bofur, Nori and Bifur arrived at Rivendell. As much as they hated eating green food they were very glad to be staying in proper beds. They just hoped the lads and Bilbo were there as well. As they entered the city they were instantly spotted by Lindir. The Elf looked very confused as to what they were doing there. "Ah, excuse me, could you…"

But before Bofur could continue Lindir was walking quickly up the stairs behind him. The three dwarves stood dumbfounded, wondering what exactly had just happened. Very quickly Lindir returned with Elrond who looked as confused by their presence as Lindir. "What brings you to Rivendell?" he questioned.

"We're trying to catch up with Fíli, Kíli and Bilbo. We were hoping they came this way so we could bring the lads back to Erebor."

"They were, indeed, here but they left the day before yesterday."

The three dwarves groaned inwardly. "We need to catch up with them, quickly," Nori explained.

"You will be given whatever you require."

Before the dwarves could give their thanks  Elladan and Elrohir rode up. "My Lord Elrond, we come back with urgent news," Elladan began.

"Bolg and his pack were spotted crossing the Bruinen heading West," Elrohir finished.

Bofur and Nori looked at each other in worry as Bifur continued to look at the twin Elves with his normal blank stare. "Then you best hurry before Bolg catches them. Elladan, Elrohir, give them the fastest ponies we can spare."

The Elves nodded before rushing towards the stable. "Meet us at the path to the Great East Road in no more than five minutes time."

As Elrond rushed away, Bofur, Nori and Bifur fell to the ground so they could have just one moment's rest before they rushed out of what was supposed to be a peaceful rest.

* * *

Their fifth night on the road was when it happened. Bilbo had been on watch, keeping his eyes open for any passing threat. There was a noise to his left that drew his attention. Slowly he got to his feet, his hand drifting to Sting's hilt. As he stepped forward Kíli slowly sat up, having been roused by Bilbo's soft footsteps. "What is it?" Kíli asked, drowsiness laced in his voice.

Before Bilbo could say anything he saw a faint glimmer from his scabbard. Both his and Kíli's eyes went to the blade, recognized the familiar blue glow. They knew what that light meant. Just as Kíli was about to grab his sword their camp was overrun with Orcs.

They never stood a chance.

Both Bilbo and Kíli were pinned to the ground, the heavy weight of Orcs crushing them to keep them from moving. Kíli dared to look up, his face twisting into a snarl when he recognized the Orc towering above them. "Bolg," he growled.

The Orc just sneered as he sent an order to his Orcs in the Black Speech. Bilbo and Kíli were forced to their feet and dragged through the tree line to an unknown location.

* * *

Fíli had set up his camp far enough away from Kíli and Bilbo so that he would not alert them but close enough that he could hear everything that was going on. When he had heard the first noise he instantly pulled out his sword before cautiously stalking towards their camp. He quickened his pace, however, when he heard the sounds of an ambush.

His feet were quick as they carried him towards the camp but when he arrived, his heart fell. The camp was completely ransacked and Kíli and Bilbo were nowhere to be seen. Slowly he knelt to the ground, his hands feeling the dirt. He could barely make out a faint trail leading away from the camp. He kept his sword in his left hand as he followed the trail.

He just hoped he wasn't too late.

TBC...


	24. Chapter 24

After being dragged carelessly through the brush of the forest, Kíli and Bilbo were thrown unceremoniously on the ground. Before either of them could move they were brought to their knees, an Orc holding their hands behind them while balancing an Orcish blade to their throats.

Poor Bilbo could feel his heart hammering in his chest. Fear was engulfing him like when he first laid eyes on Smaug. He never knew an Orc that could instill that much fear. Even Azog hadn't made him feel this frightened before.

Kíli, on the other hand, kept his face unrelenting, his head held high as he kept his gaze fixed on the figure of Bolg as he emerged through the trees. He would not give the Orc the satisfaction of seeing him cower in fear. He had sworn a promise to Bolg and he intended to keep it. "We meet again, _gazat_."

Bolg shifted his gaze to Bilbo. "And the liar. It seems, however, we are missing one."

"Nope, just the two of us going on a little stroll…" Bilbo began to babble until the Orc holding the blade to his throat pressed it more firmly against his skin, making him draw back as far as he could go so it would not break his skin.

"You will not speak unless spoken to, Halfling. You have already lied to us once."

Bilbo barely nodded, afraid to move too much to allow the blade to cause any damage. Kíli struggled against the Orcs holding him, trying to get to Bilbo. "You get your hands off him!"

Bolg's attention immediately went to Kíli, his eyes penetrating the dwarf's skin. Carefully he took two steps towards Kíli, a knife dancing in his hands before he caressed Kíli's face with it. "It seems your protector has failed his duties once more."

"He doesn't fail. He's never failed."

Bolg looked around, his senses strained to find a trace of anyone nearby. "Then where is he? Why is he not here to keep you from harm?"

Kíli cast his gaze to the ground, his voice soft as he replied, "We don't know."

The cold tip of the blade was placed under his chin, forcing his face up to look into Bolg's lifeless eyes. "Why do I not believe you?"

Kíli kept his gaze hard. Bolg turned to the Orcs holding Bilbo and said something that neither Kíli or Bilbo could understand. Whatever it was, it made the Orcs pick Bilbo off the ground, bringing him to his feet while the Orcs kept his arms pinned. Kíli and Bilbo exchanged confused looks as Bolg slowly turned back to Kíli, a sneer on his lips. "Tell me the truth, _gazat_ , or the Halfling suffers."

"We don't know. He disappeared from us no more than two weeks ago."

Bolg stood up and walked towards Bilbo. Kíli struggled harder but the Orcs were stronger. "It's the truth! Why don't you believe me?"

Bilbo's eyes widened as they found the glint of the moonlight gleaming off the black steel. "I will give you one last chance, _gazat_. Where is your third companion?"

Kíli's eyes darted between the weapon Bolg held and Bilbo. He could feel the fear emitting from their poor burglar. What was he to say? What would Fíli say if he were here? After taking a deep breath, Kíli pleaded, "I can't tell you where he is because I do not know. If you still don't believe me, then turn your anger towards me, not him. He's done nothing wrong."

Bolg looked at Kíli with interest. "You are willing to sacrifice your life for this Halfling?"

Bilbo's eyes danced to the young heir, his face contorted in confusion. Kíli locked gazes with him for a moment, telling him with his eyes that everything would be fine. "Yes."

Bolg's lips drew back, his black teeth snarling in a sinister grin. "So be it."

As Bolg began to stalk towards Kíli Bilbo tried desperately to free himself. "No, Kíli!"

As Kíli saw the Orc draw near, he closed his eyes and prayed to Mahal that his end would come swiftly. 

* * *

Fíli had followed close behind, using every ounce of his patience not to jump out and save Kíli and Bilbo from the Orcs. Oh how he wanted to emerge from the woods and slice them down but they were vastly outnumbered and no doubt it would make the situation much worse if he tried. The best thing to do would be to see where they were headed and find a way to sneak in and out without being detected.

When they finally came to a halt Fíli had found a large boulder to hide behind. The number of Orcs in the encampment was not ideal but he would do whatever it took to get his brother and friend from harm. Silently he withdrew one of his twin swords, careful to not draw attention to his hiding spot. Carefully he looked around, trying to formulate a plan. One was beginning to form and it seemed ideal but he lost all recollection of it when he saw Bolg step out from the trees.

His face immediately paled. He should have known but he had hoped that when the Orcs had seen Fíli was not with them that they would leave Kíli and Bilbo in peace.

He had never been more wrong.

Fíli barely could make out what was being said between the Orc and Kíli but when he saw Bilbo being dragged to his feet he knew he needed to act soon. He couldn't wait any more.

He tried to recall the plan in his head but his mind could not focus. All he could see was the fear in Bilbo's eyes and hear the frantic pleas of his brother. He tried to tune it out but soon it was all he could hear.  "I can't tell you where he is because I do not know. If you still don't believe me, then turn your anger towards me, not him. He's done nothing wrong."

The desperaiton in his brother's voice made his chest tighten. Was Kíli really implying what he thought he was? "You are willing to sacrifice your life for this Halfling?"

There was a pause. Fíli looked to his brother, his lips silently pleading, "Kíli, no…"

"Yes."

The world seemed to have stopped. His heart fell into his stomach and his hand lost its grip on his sword. "So be it."

Bolg was approaching Kíli with such malice in his stride. Before he knew it, Fíli found himself on the other side of the boulder, his arms up in surrender and his voice shouting so all of Middle Earth could hear, "Wait!"

TBC...


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Fili winced in pain as he was thrown onto the ground at Bolg's feet.

The blow from impacting the ground sent the air right out of his lungs, his fingers curling into fists as he tried to push himself off the ground. He never got the chance, however, as he felt rough fingers curl in his hair and lift him up onto his knees. At first he closed his eyes, the pain erupting from the hairs pulling on his scalp being nearly unbearable but when he opened his eyes, it took every ounce of his strength to not let fear tremble in the sea of pearly blues.

The way Bolg sneered as he gazed at his prey made Fíli's skin crawl but he dared not show it. If he was to die this day he would not give Bolg the satisfaction of seeing him scared. "Well, it seems we finally meet, _gazat_."

Once again he was thrown onto the ground, his shoulder skidding across the hard ground once he hit. He could hear the muffled cries of Kíli but he chose to ignore them. As he pushed himself off the ground he mustered up the best scowl. "You have what you wanted, you can let them go."

"But do I?" Bolg questioned, walking towards Kíli. Kíi watched him with fearless eyes as he approached, wincing when Bolg yanked his head back by his unruly mane. "This one here claims to be what I seek."

"He is a fool and reckless, willing to say anything to hide the truth."

"And what truth would that be?"

Fíli looked at his brother, trying to tell him it was going to be alright. After heaving a deep sigh, he replied, "I am Fíli, son of Dís, nephew of King Thorin Oakenshield and Slayer of the Pale Orc, Azog."

"Fíli, no!"

Kíli struggled harder against his captors but stopped when his arm was yanked painfully. Bolg released his hold on Kíli. "And why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to, but it is the truth."

"If it is then why would this one claim to be what he is not?"

"Because he is Captain of the Guard, ordered to protect me by my uncle."

"Strange, he said the same about you. And after all, he does bear a striking resemblance to the King, doesn't he?"

"It is only a disguise meant to fool those who would wish to harm the line of Durin. He is a distant cousin but nothing more."

The words burned in his throat, his eyes never leaving Kíli's face as he spoke them. Kíli, of course, was more important to him than anything but he dared not let Bolg know that. "If that is this case then you will not mind if I kill them?" Bolg replied, holding a knife to Kíli's throat.

Fíli visibly flinched the moment the blade appeared. Unfortunately, Bolg noticed this. "It seems you care more for him than you let on. Tell me, who is he to you?"

Fíli swallowed as he tried to keep his fear at bay. "He is a friend."

"Then his death should mean very little to you."

Before Bolg could slide the blade across his brother's neck, thus ending his life, Fíli shouted, "Wait!"

All eyes went back to Fíli. His eyes darted to his brother for a moment before landing upon Bolg once more. "You'll need him. You'll need them both."

"And how is that?"

"You'll need someone to tell of your triumph, will you not? You'll need someone to pass on the story of how you killed the Slayer Azog."

Fíli didn't think Bolg would buy it but was relieved when he saw the blade drop from Kíli's throat. "You are right, _gazat_."

Fíli breathed a sigh of relief. "However, I only need one, so you decide. The dwarf or the Halfling."

Fíli glanced between them. He couldn't decide between the two. Bilbo was his friend but Kíli was his brother. How could he choose who lived and who died? What could he do?

_What would Thorin do?_

"I am waiting, _gazat_."

"How about a duel? If I win, you spare both of their lives. If not, I choose between them."

"A duel?"

"Aye."

"To the death?"

"Fíli, no!"

Fíli gave both his brother and Bilbo an apologetic look. "Aye."

The grin that spread across the Orc's face sent a shiver crawling down his spine. "So be it."

Bolg cast the knife aside, pulling the mace from his belt. The same mace, Fíli noticed, that belonged to his father, Azog. Fíli, having been stripped of his weapons the moment he arrived the camp, found one of his twin swords placed into his hands by the Orc who had taken his weapons from him. He gave it a twirl with his wrist before holding it at the ready. Bolg and Fíli slowly danced around one another, watching the other for an opening. Fíli knew he had little chance of success against Bolg but he had to try. For Kíli and Bilbo's sakes, he had to try.

Bolg was the first to lunge. Fíli parried it with ease, knocking it away from him as he sidestepped the opposite way. This happened once or twice more before he went for his own attack. Bolg parried his attack and swung, his mace colliding with Fíli's torso. Fíli went sprawling back, the wind having been knocked out of him but he scrambled to his feet quickly. His ribs were still healing from the fall in the mountains and the blow sent a new surge of pain through his chest. But he paid it no mind. It would take more than that to stop him.

A newfound energy surged within him as he attacked. His blows came quick and rapidly, his voice growling behind clenched teeth with each blow. An opening presented itself and he struck, his sword embedding itself in the Orc's thigh. Bolg erupted with a howl but cut it short as he grabbed the sword in his leg. Fíli tried to yank it out but Bolg's grip was too strong. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the mace coming towards him. He let go of his hilt and rolled, narrowly missing the mace that would have ended his life.

Now weaponless he looked around, trying to figure out what to do next. Bolg withdrew the sword from his thigh and cast it aside. If Fíli could get to his sword he might stand a chance. He made a run towards it but Bolg was quicker. His mace swung and collided with his side. Fíli fought to regain his balance but not before the mace swung again, sending him sprawled out on his back. Before he could stand Bolg placed a boot on his chest and pressed, crushing the dwarf beneath his boot. Fíli could not cry out in pain, his lungs screaming for air. His hands grabbed the Orc's ankle as he tried to pry the weight off him."Fíli!"

The pleading of his brother chilled his bones. The sound of desperation reminded him of what was at stake. With all the strength left in him, he reached higher on Bolg's leg and twisted. The sudden force sent a shock up Bolg's leg, releasing the dwarf from the ground. Fíli scrambled on hands and knees toward his sword in one last attempt.

But it was in vain.

Bolg recovered from the shock and surged towards Fíli, picking up his knife that he cast away as he went. As Fíli reached out towards his sword, his fingers brushing the hilt, the knife plunged.

The searing pain in his shoulder elicited a gasp of shock from his lips. The blade was quickly removed before slicing a long gash across his back. Fíi's back arched in the pain before he fell onto his stomach. Blood flowed freely from the wound. "Fíli!"

Fíli's eyes found his brothers and the fear in his chocolate eyes as he watched his brother. As he gritted in pain he reached for his sword. His fingers fumbled as he tried to grasp it but he found it impossible when Bolg's foot stepped on his forearm, crushing the bones beneath it. "It seems," Bolg snarled as he twisted his foot, "You have failed."

Once he was sure that the damage was done he removed his foot and pulled Fíli up onto his knees by his hair. Fíli could feel the cold steel of the knife pressed against his throat as he was forced to look at Bilbo and Kíli. "Before I kill you, Fíli, son of Dís and nephew of Thorin Oakenshield, tell me, who do you wish to see die?"

Bilbo and Kíli watched the heir with fear and sorrow. Fíli's gaze was fixed upon them, his own eyes watching them apologetically. "I'm losing my patience. Choose or I will choose for you."

TBC….


	26. Chapter 26

There was a sense of urgency in their steps as followed the path that Elrond pointed out the lads had followed. The ponies they had been given made it much easier and they found themselves covering more ground a lot faster than before. After all, the news of Bolg sent a wave of urgency through them. They just hoped they found the lads before Bolg did.

When they happened upon a ransacked camp that housed Kíli's bow and quiver and Sting cast aside, their worst fears had come to life.

When they arrived at said camp they quickly dismounted their ponies. Bifur and Bofur picked up the weapons, inspecting them as if the story of what had happened could be spoken through the objects. "I don't like the looks of this," Bofur muttered.

Nori, in the meanwhile, was looking around the ground, relief flooding through him when he found no signs of blood. The tracks were clear as they led away from the camp and through the bushes. "I think they went this way."

Bofur and Bifur stored the weapons as they followed the tracks. As they approached they could hear the clang of metal on metal. They silenced their movements without slowing their pace. The soft light of a fire illuminated an area in the trees, the same area that the echo of combat was coming from. When they reached the perimeter of the area they watched in the shadows. "It seems we finally caught up to them," Nori muttered to Bofur.

In the clearing they saw Fíli and Bolg dancing around one another while Kíli and Bilbo were being restrained by Orcs off to the side. They watched as Fíli stabbed Bolg through the thigh before rolling away to avoid the mace. As Bolg began crushing him into the ground, Bofur lunged forward but Nori held him back. "What are you doing? He's killing him!"

"Do you really expect that rushing in there is going to help save them? No, we need a plan…"

"We don't have time for a plan!"

"There is always time for a plan!"

Their eyes went back to the fight when they heard a gasp and Kíli call his brother's name. When they turned they saw Bolg lifting Fíli to his knees before placing a knife to his throat. "Before I kill you, Fíli, son of Dís and nephew of Thorin Oakenshield, tell me, who do you wish to see die?"

"Still believe we have time?"

Nori couldn't take his eyes away from the scene in front of him, however. Bofur was right; they had no time. "I'm losing my patience. Choose or I will choose for you," Bolg growled.

Suddenly Bifur thrust Sting into Nori's hands before emerging from the bushes. Bofur and Nori were frozen with shock as they watched Bifur approach the Orc. It seemed, however, that the other Orcs had noticed the sudden arrival and their confused gazes spurred Bolg to look. When his eyes landed on Bifur, his eyes narrowed. "Who is this,  _gazat?_ " he hissed in Fíli's ear.

But Fíli could not answer for he, too, was in as much shock as the rest of them. When Bifur came to a stop, he pointed at Azog and said, " _Gamut manan ai-menu_."

"What?"

" _Ozirum menu seleku_."

"What is he doing?" Nori hissed at Bofur.

"He's creating a diversion."

"For what?"

Bofur turned to Nori and grinned. "Follow my lead."

As they rushed around the edge, Bolg leant into Fíli, pressing the knife harder against his throat as he hissed, "What is he saying?"

But Fíli had to keep himself from laughing. "Speak plainly,  _gazat_ , or I shall end his life."

" _Ma mahabhyùr rukhs katakhigeri._ "

Bolg growled when Kíli shouted, "He can't speak Westron. He…"

"Silence,  _glob_!"

" _Gelek menu caragu rukhs_."

While all this was going on Bofur and Nori had snuck up behind the Orcs holding Bilbo and Kíli and silently slit their throats with Nori's knives. When two of the four Orcs fell Bofur and Nori quickly felled the other two before they could make any noise. Bilbo and Kíli spun around, their eyes lighting up when they saw their savors. Kíli was about to say something when Bofur held a finger to his lips and motioned for them to follow them.

Once out of earshot Kíli hugged Nori and Bofur. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you. How did you find us?"

"Long story. Here, you're going to need these," Bofur replied as they handed them their weapons. As Kíli and Bilbo strapped on their weapons they turned back to the clearing. Bifur was wildly waving his arms around, shouting, " _Mahalu-me turg! Mahalu-me turg!_ "

"I've had enough of this. Kill him!"

As two Orcs stepped forward to fulfill their master's wish, an arrow went whizzing through the air, hitting one of the Orcs in the head. All eyes turned to watch as three dwarves and a Hobbit ran from the bushes, their weapons drawn and battle cries roaring from their throats.

TBC…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzdul translations:
> 
> Gamut manan ai-menu. - Good day to you.
> 
> Ozirum menu seleku. - You couldn't forge a spoon.
> 
> Ma mahabhyùr rukhs katakhigeri. - Do not teach an orc to stink.
> 
> Gelek menu caragu rukhs. - You smell like orc dung.
> 
> Mahalu-me turg! - By Durin's beard!
> 
> Yes, they do not make any sense and that is the point. Bifur knew Bolg could not understand Khuzdul so he spoke random phrases to distract him. Bifur is so smart :)


	27. Chapter 27

The Orcs had been caught off guard by the ambush which helped the dwarves greatly. One by one the Orcs fell to their blades.

After felling another Orc, Kíli looked around to find his brother. During their ambush Fíli had used that moment to free himself from Bolg's grasp and picked up his sword, taking down Orcs alongside them. When Kíli found him he rushed towards his brother, an arrow already notched in his bow. An Orc was racing towards Kíli, the young dwarf being oblivious to his pursuer. Thankfully Fíli saw it. "Kíli!"

Fíli reached out with one arm and pulled Kíli out of the way of the blade that was meant for him. Once he was free he decapitated the Orc with one fell strike. Fíli and Kíli looked at the dead Orc. "Nice one, brother," Kíli smiled as they turned back to the fray, "I thought you abandoned us in Rivendell."

"Thought about it."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I knew you. Figured you'd get yourself into trouble. Seems I was right."

The brothers fought side by side. "Well, glad you came back, even if your arrival was at the worse possible moment."

"I try."

After killing another Orc both of them found Bolg coming towards them. Fíli took a step forward but was stopped by his brother's hand on his chest. When he met his brother's gaze, Kíli said, "Together."

Fíli nodded. "Together."

They slowly walked towards the powerful Orc. Fíli saw his second sword lying on the back of one of the Orcs that had been slain. He wanted to grab it but he knew with the crushed bones in his forearm it would be useless. There was no way he could use his second sword but he did not worry. Sure, he was more dealy with two swords instead of just one.

But with Kíli, he was unstoppable.

Their sole focus was on the large Orc in front of them. They were oblivious to the two brother Elves rushing in with arrows flying. Elladan and Elrohir had followed the three dwarves, hoping to keep the Orcs off their tail. Now they were focused on taking out the Orcs rushing the brothers as they ran down their target.

Their paces quickened as they rushed towards Bolg. Their swords swung as one, connecting with Bolg's mace as he blocked their blows. Together they tried to take the Orc down. Bolg struggled to try and fend off the two dwarves who worked together. When he was push one away, the other would take their place.

Eventually he figured out how to defeat them. After Kíli swung at him he grabbed his jerkin and threw him away. As expected the moment he was out of the fray Fíli took his place, swinging his sword with such ferocity. Kíli rolled as soon as he hit the ground, his sword sliding away from him. As he pushed himself up he looked to Bolg and his heart nearly stopped.

Bolg had disarmed Fíli and now had Fíli hoisted in the air by his neck. Fíli's feet kicked as his good arm tried to pry his hand off of his throat but to no avail. "Fíli!"

Fíli's choking coughs was all Kíli could hear as he scrambled to his feet. After picking up his sword he raced towards Bolg, a battle cry roaring from soul. Bolg was so focused on the kill in his hands he never saw Kíli coming.

Not until Kíli's sword was embedded in his stomach.

Bolg dropped Fíli instantly, a howl resonating through the clearing as he staggered back. Kíli kept a tight hold on the hilt of his sword as he withdrew it from the Orc's abdomen. With another quick swing he sliced Bolg's knee, dropping him so he was eye level with Kíli. As Kíli went to deliver another blow Bolg blocked him with his mace, sending Kíli's sword flying. Kíli was prepared for this and rolled towards Fíli's sword, picking it up and turning to Bolg. As he did so Bolg knocked Kíli back with a powerful swing and when Kíli landed he lay on top of the dead Orc carrying his brother's second sword. Anger surged as he rolled off the dead Orc, grabbing the second sword as he went.

Kíli was not use to wielding two swords at the same time but the adrenaline running through his veins gave him the skill he needed. He charged, anger swelling through him. With his left he blocked the mace and with his right he stabbed him through the chest. Bolg's mace dropped from his hand as Kíli withdrew the sword and crossed his brother's swords, resting the tips on either side of Bolg's neck. Bolg wheezed for air as he stared at the defiant look on Kíli's face. "I made you a promise,  _rukhs_. I promised you death."

Bolg sneered. "And I always keep my promises."

With one last battle cry he brought the sword tips together, letting the head of Bolg fall from his shoulders and his body slump to the ground.

Kíli, son of Dís, nephew of King Thorin Oakenshield and prince of Erebor, had slain Bolg.

Once Bolg was dead the few remaining Orcs had scattered. The battle had been won. Kíli rushed to his brother's side, helping him to stand as Fíli coughed on the fresh air that he could now breath. "Are you alright?" Kíli asked.

"Fine," Fíli choked out in a raspy voice, rubbing his bruising neck as he continued to cough. When he opened his eyes he found the dead body of Bolg on the ground with black blood staining the ground. "Did you…?"

"Well, someone had to save your hide."

"My brother, the Slayer of Bolg. Has a ring to it."

The brother's laughed as they remembered when Kíli said the same when Fíli revealed it was he who had killed Azog. They rested their foreheads together as they enjoyed their victory. Bifur came over, using Iglishmêk to inform them the Elf brothers needed to see to Fíli's wounds. Reluctantly Fíli followed Bifur to the Elves, removing his jerkin so Elladan could clean his wounds on his back while Elrohir set his arm. All the while Kíli sat next to him, watching with a smile. As Fíli winced when Elladan began cleaning his back, Kíli said, "Thank you."

"For what, exactly? You're the one who saved me."

"I know, but I wanted to say thank you for not abandoning us."

"Well someone had to make sure you stayed out of trouble and as wise as our burglar is, even he is no match for your antics."

"I heard that!"

Fíli and Kíli looked at Bilbo who was preparing supper with Bofur and Nori. The brothers laughed before Fíli winced as Elladan continued to clean his wound. Once Kíli stopped laughing, he said, "In all seriousness, though, thank you for saving mine and Bilbo's lives."

"That's what brother's are for."

"And if you EVER pull a stunt like that again, I will kill you myself."

Fíli smirked as Kíli grabbed his brother's hand. "I'm going to save our poor Hobbit from the likes of Bofur and Nori. You take it easy."

As Kíli walked away, Fíli called out, "I thought I was supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way round!"

"You can when you stop acting like an idiot and trying to get yourself killed on a regular basis."

Fíli shook his head, muttering, "Knob" before wincing as Elrohir began splinting his arm. With a smile Elrohir looked to Elladan, muttering, " _Naugrim_."

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzdul translation:
> 
> Rukhs - Orc
> 
> Elvish translations:
> 
> Naugrim - Dwarves


	28. Chapter 28

That next morning they packed up camp and after Elladan and Elrohir checked Fíli's wounds one last time, they bid goodbye to the brothers and headed for the Shire. It took a week and during that time, all was well. With Bolg gone, the threat that had followed them since Mirkwood was no more and it seemed that bandits were steering clear of the dwarves, if there were any out there to begin with.

At the end of that week they found themselves in the green hills of the Shire. Bilbo wore a smile as big as his sword as they rode their ponies through the town. Hobbits stopped what they were doing, looking at the dwarves and Bilbo in shock and fear. Some muttered, "Is that Bilbo Baggins?" while others muttered, "I thought he was dead."

Bilbo led the way towards his beloved Bag End, looking forward to his comfortable armchair and his warm hearth. "I can't believe we finally made it," Bilbo muttered.

"Aye, and in one piece," Bofur added.

"Well, relatively speaking," Kíli jested, turning to give his brother a cheeky grin.

"Oh how I can't wait to…" But Bilbo stopped his sentence short, along with his pony, as he turned the corner that led to Bag End, for what he saw made his throat dry. Swarmed around his doorstep were many Hobbits with someone standing by his door which was wide open. "And here we have a fine armchair! We will start the bidding!"

"What's the matter?" Bofur asked.

"They're...they're selling my stuff!" Bilbo dropped from his pony and ran towards the door, shouting, "Now wait just a moment!"

The Hobbits all stopped and turned, their faces paling when they saw Bilbo running towards them. He pushed through the crowd and jumped up the stairs, turning to the group of Hobbits. "This is my stuff! Just what made you think you could come and buy it!"

"You had disappeared, Mr. Baggins!"

"So you just thought it would be fine to come lay claim to my belongings?"

Before any of them could say another word the dwarves had approached. The moment they appeared one of the Hobbits caught sight of them and began to slowly back away. The others wondered what had shocked their fellow kinsman and when they turned to see the dwarves, they too began to back away before a woman let out a shriek and they all ran away. Bilbo and the dwarves exchanged confused glances before Fíli asked, "Do you need some help putting things back?"

Bilbo nodded and without another word the dwarves began helping to replace Bilbo's things that had been strewn about during the auction. It took some time but eventually Bag End was restored and Bilbo was preparing a fine meal for his companions. They all sat around the fire, laughing about their adventures. When Bofur and Nori told Fíli, Kíli and Bilbo about the bandits they ran into they doubled over from laughing. "What's so funny?" Nori asked.

"It seems you ran into the same bandits we did! Bilbo here told them the mountains were haunted by the ghost of a dwarf who harmed those who tried to rob from dwarves and Fíli used Bilbo's ring to throw rocks at them!" Kíli explained through fits of laughter.

"Well that explains why they ran at the sight of Bifur. They probably thought he was the same spirit!" Bofur laughed.

The dwarves laughed and joked as they ate and drank merrily, enjoying the ability to rest in comfortable beds for the night. As dinner finished the dwarves insisted that they do the dishes and Bilbo allowed them. He even joined in as they began to sing the familiar tune of Blunt the Knives from their first visit.

After they all settled down for the night Bilbo retired to his bed but found he could not sleep. He knew that the morning would mean he would have to say goodbye to good friends. He knew it would eventually come but at this moment, he found he was not ready. He was not ready to say goodbye to Nori's sly methods or Bofur's contagious smile. He was going to miss trying to guess what Bifur was saying to him. Mostly he was going to miss the brothers Fíli and Kíli and their troublesome ways. The three of them had enjoyed one last adventure together and during that time he grew fond of them. Eventually he closed his eyes with the hum of the song of the Lonely Mountain playing in his head.

* * *

When morning finally came Bilbo enjoyed one last meal with them before they saddled up their horses to depart. At first he said goodbye to Nori, Bifur and Bofur. Once those three had mounted their ponies, Bilbo found himself bombarded by the Durin brothers. "We will miss you, Bilbo," Kíli said as he let the Hobbit go.

"Try to not be a stranger. Erebor may be far away but our doors are always open to you," Fíli added.

"And my door will always be open to you."

"Before we go, we wanted to give you something. You know, to remember us by," Kíli said.

"Oh, you don't have to…"

But he was stopped when Kíli held out one of his arrows and Fíli one of his knives. "We know you won't have any need for them here in the Shire, but we didn't want you to forget us," Fíli explained.

Bilbo felt tears well up in his eyes as he graciously accepted their gifts. "I don't know what to say…"

"Say that you will remember us," Kíli smiled.

With a smile he wrapped his small arms around them, drawing them in for a hug. "I could never forget you. Your memories will never fade."

When he let go he watched through his tears as Fíli and Kíli mounted their ponies and, with a final wave, they trotted off into the distance, back towards their home. Once they were gone, Bilbo stepped back inside. Finally, he was home, but he couldn't help but feel that something was missing.

* * *

Thorin continued to pace by the main entrance, his hands laced together as he held them behind his back. Balin and Dwalin stood nearby, watching him. Ever since the raven that had arrived three months ago had told them that Fíli and Kíli were safe and on their way back with Bifur, Bofur and Nori, Thorin had waited by the entrance to see them for himself. Balin and Dwalin continued to follow him with their eyes, starting to feel a bit dizzy from his movements. "If he doesn't stop I might throw up," Dwalin growled.

With a sigh Balin approached the King and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps you should get some rest. It will probably be a few more weeks before they arrive…"

"I can't rest, Balin. Not until I see them for myself."

The blow of a horn captured their attention. They knew what that sound meant. Someone was approaching. Before Balin or Dwalin could say anything Thorin raced through the front doors to see who it was, the others right on his heels. "Thorin, it is probably…"

But Balin was cut short when he saw a grin on Thorin's face. When he looked, he too couldn't help but smile. "Well I'll be…" Dwalin muttered, crossing his arms.

Riding up the path, sure enough, was Bifur, Bofur and Nori with Fíli and Kíli following close behind. Once they got close enough they dismounted their ponies. Bofur was the first to approach the King, removing his hat and bowing. "As promised, the lads are back, safe and sound...although I can't guarantee that they are completely unscathed. Seems like they attracted trouble like a dragon to gold."

Thorin rested a hand on Bofur's shoulder before saying, "Thank you, Bofur."

Bofur, Bifur and Nori entered the mountain while Thorin approached his nephews. Before either of them could say a word they found their uncle wrapping his arms around them and drawing them in for a bone-crushing hug. He couldn't help but laugh in joy as he held them, breathing in their familiar scent. Once he let go, he gave them each a smile. "Welcome home, my boys."

"It's good to be home," Fíli replied with a smile.

Balin approached and placed a hand on either shoulder. "It's good to see you, laddies."

Their smiles were cut short, however, when Dwalin's angry voice echoed, "Kíli!"

Kíli winced as he looked over Balin's shoulder to see Dwalin approaching him with such anger in his steps. "I think I'm just going to…"

Kíli never finished his statement as he made a run towards the entrance. "Oh no you don't, lad!"

Thorin, Fíli and Balin laughed as they watched Dwalin attempt to chase Kíli. As they disappeared, Thorin wrapped his arm around Fíli's shoulders and said, "Come, you've had a long journey and you need your rest. Tomorrow I want to hear all about your journey."

"Well, there is not much to tell, really…"

"I highly doubt that."

Together, the king and his heir walked through the doors of Erebor, feeling as if peace had finally come to the Line of Durin.

THE END


End file.
